DAP will be distributing excerpts of the Conference of Rulers’ statement on the 1MDB issue last month in Malay rural areas, said Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching.

She said despite the importance of the statement, it has failed to garner the media coverage it deserves especially in the print media, and has apparently fallen on deaf ears.

As such, DAP has printed 100,000 copies of the Malay-language excerpt to help the people understand what has been happening.

“It is evident that there is a force that tries very hard to sabotage the investigation on 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion donation scandal. We will not allow them to succeed as these criminals have jeopardised the economic wellbeing of Malaysia.

“DAP has printed 100,000 copies of the Conference of Rulers’ statement in Bahasa Malaysia, and we will distribute these leaflets in Malay rural areas so that the rakyat of Malaysia can get a clearer picture of what is happening in our country,” Teo told a press conference at the DAP headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

The council’s Oct 6 statement had urged that the 1MDB investigation be completed immediately, and stern action to be taken against those responsible.

“The Malay Rulers are concerned that if this issue is not handled properly, moreover if allowed to fester over a long period of time, it has the potential to affect the nation’s economy and the peoples’ livelihood. It is also worried that it may affect public order and national security,” it said.

Apart from the five-paragraph excerpts, the leaflet also featured a five-point Q&A style summary of the 1MDB issue and the RM2.6 billion that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had supposedly received in his personal bank account.

Najib, who is also the finance minister and heads 1MDB’s advisory board, had consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Tardiness in questioning Najib questioned

Meanwhile, Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong questioned the authorities’ tardiness in questioning Najib over the scandal.

“Why is there a delay? Should this be the first priority of the nation, of the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)?”

He referred to The Malaysian Insider’s interview with attorney-general Mohd Apandi Ali that was published today, in which the latter reportedly said the MACC must question Najib over the RM2.6 billion and wrap up investigations by the end of the year.

Liew said Najib should have been questioned in July when The Wall Street Journal broke the news about the funds channelled into Najib’s account, or at least no later than August.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok added that Najib should respond to questions on 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion that he received in Parliament, when the parliamentary sitting resumes on Nov 16.

This is despite Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman saying that the government would only respond to these questions in the House on Dec 3.

“When Parliament resumes on Nov 16 after the Deepavali break, it will be the last day of the three day ministerial winding-up of the 2016 Budget debate. This is the day that Najib should be in parliament to answer the questions and issues.

“Azalina may think her role is to shield her boss, but Najib should show that he does not need any shielding from her,” Kok said.

At the press conference today, the party also announced a campaign to show solidarity for DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, with programmes planned across the country.

Lim had been suspended from parliament for six months after raising questions about the funds that Najib supposedly received.

Dubbed the ‘Pantang Undur’ (No retreat) campaign, the campaign’s working committee chief Edry Faizal said the campaign would feature dialogues and other programs between Lim and youths, who are angry over the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion issues amid the rising costs of living.

“These scandals should not be seen as merely an issue about 1MDB or the RM2.6 billion ‘donation’, but we should also see that this is a problem of a corrupt political system.

“So the problem is not 1MDB nor Najib, but we have a corrupt political system that allows these scandals to take place. If the system is fine, these scandals can be avoided,” he said.