Musa Hitam is the ideal candidate as caretaker PM - Kit Siang

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam is an ideal candidate as caretaker Prime Minister -- should Datuk Seri Najib Razak goes on leave -- pending investigations on the large funds allegedly transferred into his personal accounts.

Lim believed Musa would fit in the role as caretaker under the condition that he must first be elected into Parliament first in accordance to the Malaysian Constitution that stipulates a PM must be a member of Dewan Rakyat.

"I think Musa would be if an agreement could be reached for him to be elected to Parliament in an early by-election. Otherwise, other candidates including Gua Musang MP and UMNO veteran, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah or someone from Sabah or Sarawak should be considered," said Lim, in a statement after delivering a speech, last night.

He said with the formation of a Cabinet caretaker, Najib and all the elected Ministers, including DPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would have to be disqualified from continuing their present roles due to the fear of arising conflict of interests during the probe involving Najib and national strategic development company, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Lim, who is also a political veteran, said Najib has failed to address four pertinent questions regarding the claims made by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in a July 3 article stating that Malaysian government investigators have found almost US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been deposited into Najib's personal accounts at a local bank made in two transactions on March 21 and 25 in 2013, ahead of the general election in May.

Lim was of the opinion that Najib must first clarify claims that he owns three personal accounts in AmBank, or some of the RM2.6 billion of funds were deposited into his personal accounts ahead of the general election just before the dissolution of Parliament on April 3 to the origin of the funds, right down to the movement of the money and where it had gone to.

"I call on Najib to publicly answer these questions before the Aidilfitri celebration, say this in his Hari Raya message, so that 1MDB will not be a dominant subject during the festive break and in the weeks leading up to the 58th Merdeka celebration and Malaysia Day anniversary on Aug 31 and Sept 16, respectively.

"Najib had never denied that he had personal bank accounts or that RM2.6 billion had been deposited into them ... but he had repeatedly denied that he had taken funds for personal gain," he said in a statement from his speech, Saturday.

On Friday, The Malaysian Insider reported that Musa said Najib has three options following the scandal including to remain in office and fight the allegations, to reliquish his post and go on leave pending the investigations

In support of the call, Lim said this was a test of Najib’s patriotism, whether he is prepared to end the government paralysis caused by the 1MDB scandal.

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.