Constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari pointed out that it has been more than 24 hours since the US Department of Justice (DoJ) revealed that over USD3.5 billion was misappropriated from state investment firm 1MDB, but there had yet to be a denial from those named in the lawsuits.
“So we can assume what was revealed was the truth. Hence, I urge the Malaysian Government to stop wasting time and do what is needed to ensure actions are taken,” he told a press conference in front of Dang Wangi police headquarters here today.
He was accompanying Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng to lodge a report against those named in the DoJ lawsuits.
Aziz said Malaysians had been put through a “great deal of embarrassment” due to the local authorities’ “lack of efficiency”, compared with their US counterparts.
“The US authorities are so efficient with their work, even though this is not their problem, as it happened in a different country.
“This means the Malaysian Attorney-General’s Chambers and the police should be ashamed, and the rakyat will be right to call for their resignations.”
He then called for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers to intervene and take necessary action to rectify the situation.
“Don’t just release statements anymore. If not, what was said by (former premier) Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who called for the people to take to the streets to urge for (Prime Minister) Najib Razak’s resignation, will be realised.
“Their intervention is needed as our public institutions are so slow and incompetent,” he said.
Lim’s report earlier had called for a probe against those named by the DoJ, including Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz, Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho and an unnamed individual referred to in the lawsuits as “Malaysian Official 1”.
Former Selangor Exco member Ronnie Liu, who was also present, said Najib should not downplay the lawsuits by saying it was merely a civil action, and not a criminal one.
“He (Najib) must realise that there are a lot of criminal elements involved, like money laundering, and later, maybe bribery and abuse of power.”