After Umno Youth’s grand show of support for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, its chief Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday proudly proclaimed he was part of 'Team 1Malaysia', not 'Team Vision 2020'.

 

‘1Malaysia’ is Najib’s catch phrase while ‘Vision 2020' was initiated by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the man who has launched incessant broadsides against Najib.

 

“I’m no hypocrite. Yes, I ask for issues to be explained and Mahathir to be answered but at the end day, I am a cabinet member.

 

“I cannot be a thorn in the flesh or an enemy in the ranks. I am a cabinet member. I am Team 1Malaysia with PM Najib Abdul Razak,” Khairy, who is youth and sports minister, said to applause.

 

Replying to a question at a forum in Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Khairy said the “safe answer” would be to claim he was both Team 1Malaysia and Team Vision 2020, but this would not be “brave”.

 

“I am a member of the administration, with collective responsibility. If I don’t agree with the PM, I’ll have to resign. I don’t have to pretend to give him support,” he said.

 

Earlier yesterday, Khairy called for an investigation against 1Malaysia Development Bhd-linked businessman Jho Low, after the flamboyant tycoon described Umno as “spinmasters”.

                                                

Friend of Najib’s stepson

 

Low, an old friend of Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz, has admitted to have advised the troubled Finance Ministry-owned investment firm despite not having a formal role in the company.

 

Low was on the board of Terengganu Investment Authority, which was later transformed into 1MDB. Najib is 1MDB board of advisors chairperson and finance minister.

 

Mahathir among others took issue with Low’s involvement in 1MDB and asked Najib to explain the matter.

 

In a pre-recorded television interview last Thursday to answer Mahathir’s questions, Najib said a public audit on 1MDB was underway.

 

“I have also asked the auditor-general to check whether 1MDB funds were used to make a film, for example.

 

“I want to know this and this needs to be determined in the auditor-general’s report, and endorsed or otherwise by the Public Accounts Committee,” he said in the interview with TV3.

 

There have been allegations that part of 1MDB money has gone to finance Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, which was produced by Riza’s Red Granite.

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