‘No show’ Najib must resign, says C4

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Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s absence from Parliament on its final day of sitting last Thursday has left critics with no choice but to once again demand for his resignation, said anti-graft group Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4).

C4 director Cynthia Gabriel in a statement said that Najib had missed his “greatest opportunity” to once and for all put an end to allegations surrounding the RM2.6 billion donation scandal and operations of state-investment arm 1MDB.

“Najib’s absence from Parliament has given Malaysians a clear impression that the prime minister will not and cannot be bothered to be accountable, has skeletons in his closets, and is too afraid to man up and face the music from Malaysians.

“He had the greatest opportunity to put the matter to rest once and for all, to come out smelling like roses if he explained the issue well, but instead, his absence has fuelled further suspicions and queries,” she said.

As such, Gabriel said C4 is urging Bank Negara to institute fresh investigations on money laundering against Najib and to make public earlier investigations, as well as any related findings from the auditor-general’s report to be made public.

Najib was initially expected to address all questions on the two issues on the final day of the Dewan Rakyat sitting for this session.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, however, was tasked to replace him in giving a brief three-minute response, without allowing any room for questions from MPs.

In noting a response from minister in charge of parliamentary affairs Azalina Othman, who had said that Najib was advised against personally answering the allegations due to possible sub judice, Gabriel said Najib had effectively buried any hope for accountability on the matters raised.

“Hiding behind preposterous claims of contempt of court is but a shameful response, leaving the last shreds of hope for the truth dunked into the bin.

“Shouldn’t this ‘devil may care’ attitude be considered a serious assault to the integrity of the august House, and a matter for the Rights and Privileges Committee to deliberate over a matter deemed a national crisis?” she said.

On the same day, the Dewan Rakyat had also passed a motion to refer Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar to the Rights and Privileges Committee, as well as the National Security Council Bill that critics have described as being “draconian” and leading Malaysia towards a “dictatorship” under Najib’s rule.

“The passing of the National Security Council Bill in Parliament, like a thief in the night, has illustrated how desperate the prime minister is in maintaining control, in destroying the fundamentals of checks and balance of a democracy, and usurping the powers and safeguards vested in the federal constitution, in his lurch towards dictatorship,” claimed Gabriel.

Zahid, who is also the home minister, had denied that the NSC Bill will give absolute power to the prime minister.

Zahid instead claimed that the NSC bill was to strengthen enforcement in comprehensively looking after the security of the people in the country.



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