'Not my fault': Pua lampoons Najib's apology

Tony Pua, a prominent critic of the 1MDB scandal, has responded to former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s apology over the debacle with mockery.

In a Facebook post, but without naming the former premier, he highlighted how Najib had enabled the alleged embezzlement to take place, benefited from it, and subsequently sought to cover it up.

This includes sacking then deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, and top law enforcement officials to facilitate a cover-up, and buying luxury goods for his wife Rosmah Mansor with the alleged proceeds of the pilfered funds.

The former Damansara MP concludes by saying:

“I’m not responsible for going after and persecuting 1MDB whistle-blowers to cover up 1MDB.

“I have already paid my political price. It’s not fair for me to be legally responsible for any of the above.

“I just have to say I’m sorry for being the stupidest and slowest (prime minister) of Malaysia, for trusting the wrong parties who cheated Malaysians of tens of billions of ringgit.

“I should not be sitting in prison, even though I benefited immensely from the 1MDB largesse, in cash and in kind.

“It’s not my fault. Really.”

Paid ‘political’ price

Yesterday, Najib issued a statement apologising for the 1MDB scandal but maintained that he was innocent, and should not be punished by the court for his role in it.

Instead, he claimed he had been duped by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and Petrosaudi executives Patrick Mahoney and Tarek Obaid.

He said that while he initiated various investigations, he was more inclined to believe explanations from 1MDB’s board and management.

And when he ultimately became suspicious, his immediate concerns turned to the scandal’s financial and diplomatic implications.

He concluded his statement by saying he had already faced political consequences for his actions and should not also face legal ones.

“Being held legally responsible for things that I did not initiate or knowingly enable is unfair to me, and I hope and pray that the judicial process will, in the end, prove my innocence,” Najib said.

Najib’s statement was read out by his son Nizar at the Kuala Lumpur court complex yesterday before the written text was circulated to the media.

Nizar then left the building without taking questions from reporters.

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