Ex-Malaysian premier Najib Razak pleaded ignorance in the $4.5 billion graft scandal that played a role in his recent downfall. A tale of $100,000 handbags, million-dollar diamonds, and piles of cash.
For years Najib Razak has denied any unethical behaviour in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, corruption case. Now, he is doubling down, deflecting accusations of wrong-doing in connection to billions allegedly pilfered from the fund, in an interview with «Reuters». The agency spoke with Najib in a luxurious Langkawi private villa of a five-star hotel.
Najib is going on the attack as Malaysia prepares criminal charges including embezzlement and bribery against him. He blamed 1MDB’s board when quizzed on how millions of dollars of the wealth fund money found its way into his personal account, saying it was incumbent upon the overseers to alert him if something was wrong. Najib accused the board of wrongly keeping the alleged embezzlement of funds a secret from him.
«Totally Responsible»
His protestations are unlikely to wash with old-new Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has swapped out top officials since beating Najib in a shock upset six weeks ago. Mahathir, who turns 93 next month, has called Najib «totally responsible for 1MDB», noting that the former PM's signature graces a series of 1MDB deals.
Recent raids at a luxury Kuala Lumpur condo linked to Najib’s family turned up almost 300 boxes of designer handbags, 114 million Malaysian ringgit ($28.4 million) in cash and jewellery. Najib said the bags and jewellery were wedding presents to his daughter.
Najib's family including wife Rosmah Mansor as well as stepson Riza Aziz, who had his own run-in with U.S. officials over funds to bankroll Hollywood blockbuster «The Wolf of Wall Street» are vacationing with him.
Birkin and Cash Haul
Najib's son-in-law Daniyar Nazarbayev, a nephew of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, also gifted many of the handbags to first laday Rosmah Mansor, the ex-PM claimed.
«People might find it hard to understand, but my son-in-law for example, he gets Birkins from his source, five or six at one go,» Najib was quoted as saying. A $27.3 million 22-carat pink diamond allegedly bought for Rosmah wasn't among the haul.
The former prime minister also appeared to throw fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, under a bus. Malaysia is now seeking to arrest Low, last reported as being in Dubai, for his involvement in the 1MDB case. A 2016 Interpol arrest warrant, a so-called red notice, for Low and another man, Tan Kim Loong issued by Singapore, also still holds.
Low On The Edges
Low is regarded as a key witness that could unravel numerous layers of the 1MDB case, and is known to have links to Najib. The former PM said he felt that Low’s connections with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates could be helpful in pulling in more investment to Malaysia, but denied he had instructed Low to get involved in 1MDB.
«I didn’t give him instructions, but he volunteered to do certain things, which he thought would help 1MDB. But whatever he did ultimately is the responsibility of the management and board,» he added.
Najib, who has been prevented from leaving the country, vowed to face down any criminal charges against him: «I cannot be a fugitive for the rest of my life. I want to clear my name.»
