PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution claims that former Bank Negara assistant governor Abdul Murad Khalid was under threat when he made the statutory declaration (SD) in 1999 alleging that Anwar Ibrahim had a RM3 billion slush fund.

Saifuddin said Murad had flown to Munich at the end of 2004 to meet Anwar, who was receiving medical treatment there, to offer a private apology.

NONE “He revealed that his family was under threat (and that forced him) to make the SD,” said Saifuddin, who was Umno Youth secretary when Anwar was the deputy prime minister until 1998.

However, Saifuddin ( left ) did not disclose where the threat came from.

He made the revelation during a press conference with PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli at PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

The SD has been raised again recently by pro-Umno media and leaders to attack Anwar, but Murad has been silent, aside from issuing a statement last week confirming that he had made the SD and that he was willing to cooperate with the authorities if necessary.

Frustrated with Murad’s silence, Rafizi today issued an ‘ultimatum’ to the former to come forward and clear Anwar, failing which Rafizi will reveal all information about Murad’s alleged corruption and abuse of power during his tenure in Bank Negara.

“I advise Murad to come forward and apologise to Anwar as he had done privately before. It is time to stop this 13-year-old slander so all Malaysians can move on to focus on other constructive issues.”

Rafizi, who gained fame recently due to his expose of the National Feedlot Corporation scandal, said his ‘investigation’ into Murad’s background showed that the latter has been tainted by many allegations.

Among others, Murad was alleged to have received a bribe when he was still a senior officer in Bank Negara - in the form of a golf club membership and paying of the monthly fee.

According to Rafizi, Murad is also accused of having got a RM3.1 million insurance for his house paid for by a third party, and having interest in and receiving benefits from 15 units in the Pelangi Indah Condominium through a company named Kenworth Shd Bhd.

He said PKR is in possession of documents related to these allegations.

Copy of letter to former PM

“I also need to inform Murad that I have the copy of his letter to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which would bring various negative implications to him and several other Umno top leaders (should it be exposed).”

NONE The handwritten letter, said Rafizi ( left ), contains not only allegations against Anwar but all sorts of mismanagement, interference and abuse of power by other Umno leaders whom Murad had helped.

Rafizi pointed out that Murad’s SD contained no specific details on Anwar’s alleged accounts and transactions but was full of innuendos.

“As Bank Negara assistant governor, he had access to all the shares and accounts, he should at least have provided details of them.”

Instead, Rafizi believes that the ‘RM3 billion master account’ mentioned in the SD was actually linked to Murad himself.

He said he has proof to show that companies controlling a large number of properties had been linked to Murad, who was forced to sign the SD to exonerate himself.

'Advice, not a threat'

Asked whether he was making a threat to Murad, Rafizi said he preferred to describe it as ‘advice’.

“We appeal to him, let’s put a stop to this. If he considers this a threat, is up to him. Let’s wait for his reaction first.

“We have all the evidence, we just want Murad to know we have full details and we need him to put a stop to this.”

While some PKR leaders did not wish to dig up the past to embarrass Murad and his family, said Rafizi, he preferred a different approach to fend off Umno’s character attack.

“We are not interested in mudslinging... but if Umno wants mudslinging, then mudslinging it will be.

“This is also a clear message to anyone who intends to do this (personal attacks). We will put aside all sympathy and come forward with all the documents,” he warned.

Saifuddin, whose role was to help Rafizi to verify certain documents based on his short experience working in the government, echoed Rafizi.

“PKR's focus is offering our policies - free education, abolition of the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) and highway tolls.

“But it seems like Umno is more interested in personal attacks. But they have underestimated PKR, we will not do nothing, and we have all the documents, enough to expose certain individuals.

“We begin with Murad although he is not our target, our target is Umno leaders... This (information released today) is just a small piece of it,” he added.

VIDEO l 13.59 mins