Najib should take Musa Hitam's advice and go on leave, says Kit Siang

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should heed the advice of former Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Musa Hitam that he should go on leave pending investigation into the Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) allegation that US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) was deposited into his personal account.

This is the opinion of DAP advisor, Lim Kit Siang, who said this is a test of Najib’s patriotism, whether he is prepared to end the government paralysis caused by the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, by immediately going on leave while investigations are ongoing.

Lim said he agrees to the notion that Malaysians should be fair to Najib and the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty, but his silence on the allegations made by WSJ has not been consistent with a plea of innocence or compatible with the clean and incorruptible image of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

“The allegation of Prime Ministerial misconduct, made by a reputable international publication which has repeatedly declared its reports against Najib were fair and ‘solid’, is the first to be made against any Malaysian Prime Minister in the nation’s 58-year history of six Prime Ministers," he said in a press statement.

“The investigations into the allegations against Najib should be conducted by independent, reputable and credible Malaysians and definitely not the four Tan Sri heading agencies subordinate and subservient to the Prime Minister, namely Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, the Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed.

“The special task force comprising the quartet of these four government agencies should be disbanded and be replaced by a Royal Commission of Inquiry of independent, reputable and credible Malaysians who will be under no restraints or inhibitions to get to the bottom of the 1MDB scandal.

“If Najib has nothing to hide and he had not been guilty of any malpractices or improprieties, he should even welcome and support the proposal that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad chair the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 1MDB scandal, with commissioners including the strongest critics like DAP MP for PJ Utara Tony Pua and PKR MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli," he added.

Today, The Malaysian Insider reported that Musa said Najib has three options following the scandal including to remain in office and fight the allegations, to resign as prime minister and go on leave pending the investigations,

Musa said he would prefer it if Najib went on leave, which would give investigators the "space psychologically, politically and legally for them to find the truth".