Will Umno now claim the Arabs too are going after Malays, following United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities conducted an arrest in relation to the 1MDB scandal?
This is the question asked by Amanah's Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Raja Ahmad Shah, following the arrest of former International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) chief executive director Khadem al-Qubaisi.
It comes after Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron accused the US of wanting to kill Malays after the Department of Justice (DOJ) claimed US$3.5 billion was siphoned from 1MDB and moved to seize US$1 billion of assets allegedly acquired using the stolen money.
"The Malacca chief minister said that the US, a non-Muslim foreign country, wanted to kill Malays by taking legal action against 1MDB.
"Will Abu Dhabi, an Arab Muslim emirate, be accused of the same thing for taking legal action?" the MP said in a statement today.
Idris, who is also Malacca Umno chief, had clarified that his remark was meant to whip up patriotism among party members.
Khadem, arrested last week, was IPIC's chief executive director when the firm's subsidiary Aabar Investments PJS entered into several dealings with 1MDB. The dealings were allegedly used as a front for money laundering.
He was dismissed from the company last year.
The DOJ believe Khadem received almost US$473 million in stolen 1MDB funds while "Malaysian Official 1" received US$731 million.
Last week, whistleblower website Sarawak Report said the US$473 million allegedly stolen from 1MDB could have also funded Khadem's international restaurant and nightclub chain, Hakkasan.
Hakkasan said it it is confident its funding came from legitimate sources from the Middle East.
