The Wall Street Journal (2 July) claims that PM Najib Razak received about US$681 million transfer to his personal account on 21 and 25 March 2013. PM Najib Razak has denied and declared that: "I have never taken funds for personal gain as alleged by my political opponents--whether from 1MDB, SRC International or other entities, as these companies have confirmed." In light of this allegation, there are tons of rumors and speculations flying everywhere within and outside Malaysia.
Many observers have asked a valid question: why PM Najib did not deny outrightly that he does not has a bank account in AM Private Banking; or if PM Najib indeed owns a bank account in AM Private Banking, why he did not deny he did not receive the alleged transfer. Either one is a US$681 million question.
There are already people who speculated that PM Najib spent that sum in 2013 General Election which was held on 5 May 2013. Under his leadership, Barisan National received 5,237,699 popular votes that brought 133 parliamentary seats. Contrary the opposition--Pakatan Rakyat--received 5,623,984 popular votes that brought them 89 parliamentary seats. Notwithstanding lesser popular votes, Barisan National became the ruling coalition in which PM Najib continued to serve as the Prime Minister.
If the alleged sum was used in the election, then PM Najib had hijacked at least 21 seats from the opposition (simple majority: 112-seats). In this scenario, then the cost of a parliamentary seat was about US$32.43 million. The unit cost might be lower if vote-buyings were spread evenly across all 222 constituents (about US$3.07 million per constituent). Or, the alleged sum was spent on every vote for Barisan National, then the cost of a vote was US$130 (about RM450 in May 2013).
If the claim by Wall Street Journal is corroborated, then its quite natural to ask where PM Najib has spent that fund. If that fund was spent in the last general election as being speculated, then will the Election Commission declared that election is void and it will recall a general election? How much is this question worth?
Anyhow, presumption of innocence has to apply to PM Najib--presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
Many observers have asked a valid question: why PM Najib did not deny outrightly that he does not has a bank account in AM Private Banking; or if PM Najib indeed owns a bank account in AM Private Banking, why he did not deny he did not receive the alleged transfer. Either one is a US$681 million question.
There are already people who speculated that PM Najib spent that sum in 2013 General Election which was held on 5 May 2013. Under his leadership, Barisan National received 5,237,699 popular votes that brought 133 parliamentary seats. Contrary the opposition--Pakatan Rakyat--received 5,623,984 popular votes that brought them 89 parliamentary seats. Notwithstanding lesser popular votes, Barisan National became the ruling coalition in which PM Najib continued to serve as the Prime Minister.
If the alleged sum was used in the election, then PM Najib had hijacked at least 21 seats from the opposition (simple majority: 112-seats). In this scenario, then the cost of a parliamentary seat was about US$32.43 million. The unit cost might be lower if vote-buyings were spread evenly across all 222 constituents (about US$3.07 million per constituent). Or, the alleged sum was spent on every vote for Barisan National, then the cost of a vote was US$130 (about RM450 in May 2013).
If the claim by Wall Street Journal is corroborated, then its quite natural to ask where PM Najib has spent that fund. If that fund was spent in the last general election as being speculated, then will the Election Commission declared that election is void and it will recall a general election? How much is this question worth?
Anyhow, presumption of innocence has to apply to PM Najib--presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
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