Sime Darby Bhd should determine the cause of its RM964 million losses first before the issue of responsibility, said Prime Minister Najib Razak.

"We need to investigate the cause of the losses first. We can't do anything about the question of responsibility, at this point of time," he added.

NONE Najib said this when asked to comment on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remark, that responsibility for losses in the Bakun project should be shared by all involved in the issue.

He was speaking to reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony of Utusan Malaysia's new headquarters building here today.

In announcing the losses last week, Sime Darby also ordered its group chief executive officer Zubir Murshid to take a leave of absence.

It appointed Azhar Abdul Hamid as the acting group CEO in the interim.

- Bernama