Rulers’ concerns on 1MDB lost on Putrajaya, says DAP

Putrajaya does not appear to have understood the concerns of the Malay rulers over 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), given the Attorney-General's announcement clearing the firm of wrongdoing as well as the arrest of a lawyer under an anti-terrorism law, DAP said today. The party's parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said Putrajaya had responded by taking a hard stance with the announcement yesterday clearing 1MDB of any offence in relation to making false declarations. The Attorney-General's Chambers yesterdat said there was no new evidence on 1MDB despite an appeal by Bank Negara Malaysia to reconsider. It followed the arrest of lawyer Matthias Chang, who had been acting for former Umno man Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan, under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma). Khairuddin had lodged several reports with foreign enforcement agencies to investigate 1MDB, and is also detained under Sosma. "Has Putrajaya heard and understood the Malay rulers on their concerns on 1MDB, the rule of law and national unity? "Malaysians, and Malay rulers themselves, need to be convinced that this is so, as the actions and statements of the Umno/BN government in the 48 hours after the Malay rulers’ statement point to the contrary," said Lim. Lim, saying the statement by the Council of Malay Rulers drew different reactions from Umno leaders, questioned if Putrajaya really understood the rulers' concerns about the state investment firm and the current political climate. He said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement about following "due process" was "a statement that actually says nothing". Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, meanwhile, had warned the people not to assume that the rulers had lost faith in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. On the other hand, Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that 1MDB was not above the law and urged Malaysians to lodge more reports to force investigations into the Finance Ministry-owned firm, which is Najib's brainchild. "This is the nub of the question – has the Najib government really heard and understood the rulers’ concerns about 1MDB, the rule of law and national unity in Malaysia?," Lim asked. He said it was a wake-up call to Malaysians to set aside differences and unite to resolve "the national crisis of confidence". "What is indisputable is that this is the first time in the nation’s history of close to six decades under six prime ministers that the Malay rulers have come out with a statement expressing their concerns, and on three issues – 1MDB, the rule of law and national unity in the country," the Gelang Patah MP said. "It will be a great misfortune for Malaysia if instead of being a national wake-up call to all Malaysians... the historic rulers’ statement of October 6 becomes a new source of national discord and division," he said, adding that Umno-controlled media had downplayed the rulers' comments. – October 9, 2015.