KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Najib Razak has instructed his lawyers to file a defamation suit against PKR information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin after the latter claimed the former prime minister used 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) funds for personal expenses.
On Facebook, Najib said he is proceeding with the suit because the Hang Tuah Jaya MP had failed to answer the letter of demand issued by solicitors Shafee & Co on March 1.
Among other demands, the letter called for Shamsul to make a “full and unequivocal” written apology and retraction of a Facebook post that saw Shamsul also accusing disgraced former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho of purportedly using billions to fund their lavish lifestyles.
Najib gave Shamsul until March 5 to make the apology and delete the offending Facebook post that was published on February 23.
“The PKR information chief has failed to answer my lawyers’ demands. With this, I have instructed my lawyers to file a defamation suit against Shamsul in court.”
Najib, who is Pekan MP, also denied the claims he “stole” RM2.6 billion of 1MDB funds to buy rings and handbags, although he noted that members of the opposition want to continue with “deceiving propaganda”.
He added that the opposition refused to acknowledge that he is being charged under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA) and not for “theft”.
He said this is unlike an opposition politician being charged for a case related to a tunnel, alluding to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Najib insisted he was facing nine charges of accepting funds totalling RM2.6 billion and another seven charges of returning the funds four months after the funds were deposited into his personal account.
He also claimed the opposition refused to acknowledge that the Saudi Arabian Finance Ministry had transferred RM642 million to his account that was used for corporate social responsibility initiatives, including flood relief efforts for four years, and not personal expenses.
“So, how could I have stolen RM2.6 billion to keep and support my lifestyle?”
In July 2020, Najib was found guilty of all seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42 million belonging to former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd.
Last December, he filed an appeal to the Federal Court after the appellate court upheld his conviction and 12-year prison sentence. – The Vibes, March 7, 2022
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