Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh condemned the wavering focus of investigation by the special task force which is currently probing the 1MDB scandal.
He said the statement by inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar that police will investigate all members of the special task force for leaked information to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) casts serious doubts into the integrity of its investigation.
"It is most unfortunate that the IGP, instead, chooses to focus his attention on alleged leakages of information to WSJ which resulted in these serious exposes,” Ramkarpal said in a statement today.
Ramkarpal ( photo ) insisted that the investigation towards the allegedly RM2.6 billion 1MDB money transferred to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank accounts is much more important than finding the culprit who leaked the information.
The lawyer claimed that the new development seems like the government is trying to "shoot the messenger".
"Shooting the messenger ought not to be the central focus of investigation at this stage as the IGP is well aware that the evidence pertaining to such embezzlement, if any, is admissible in a court of law, even if obtained illegally.
"In other words, even if the information which the basis of WSJ’s exposes were leaked, it makes no difference as such documents and records can still be used in the prosecution of those implicated provided, of course, they are genuine and authentic," he said.
Conduct full and independent investigation
Earlier today, Khalid ( photo ) said the full investigation was part of the police's "full and independent investigation" after receiving both police reports and instructions from the attorney-general on the leak of confidential investigation-related information.
"On July 8, 2015, the attorney-general instructed a full investigation to be carried out on the criminal act of leaking classified documents to foreign nationals. These materials are alleged to be from an unnamed Malaysian government investigation into 1MDB.
"In addition, the police have also received reports related to this matter. We are, therefore, duty-bound to conduct a full and independent investigation.
"This will include investigating all members of the special task force, which includes Bank Negara personnel, to uphold the integrity of the inquiry and trust in Malaysia's financial system," Khalid said in a statement.
Meanwhile in a related matter, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang called for the four 'Tan Sri' of the special task force to be replaced by a royal commision of inquiry of three 'Tun' headed by former premier and Lim’s long-time nemesis, Dr Mahathir Mohammad.
“Nobody believes that the special task force of four Tan Sri would have such powers, which is why the special task force should be scrapped immediately and be replaced by a royal commission of inquiry of three Tun, chaired by Mahathir with (former PM) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (former DPM) Musa Hitam as the deputy chairpersons with commissioners on independent and credible Malaysians including DAP MP for PJ Utara Tony Pua and PKR MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli,” he said.
Lim said Najib ( photo ) has failed to deny four biggest questions posed at him, namely that he had three personal bank accounts in AmBank, some RM2.6 billion of funds were deposited into his personal accounts in 2013 just before the dissolution of Parliament on April 3, where the RM2.6 billion came from and where and to whom these RM2.6 billion have gone to.
“As after more 10 days, the prime minister has not denied any one of the four suppositions, can anyone to be blamed for assuming all the four to be true?” he asked.
