In a statement today about the company allegedly involved on behalf of Najib and Putrajaya, Rafizi also named the individual who had allegedly signed an agreement with a US lobbyist, besides making the necessary payment for such services.
“If the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday that it is not aware of nor has it authorised any such lobbying, then Najib must make a police report against the individual who signed the agreement on the matter,” Rafizi said referring to the individual, named Goh, whose signature is on the agreement between Godfrey Group Ltd and the lobbyist, The 45 Group LLC.
Rafizi added that such a report should be made urgently as it would mean that Goh had committed a crime claiming to represent the Malaysian government and using its name without permission.
The Pandan MP backed his claim by providing images allegedly of the agreement between Godfrey Group Limited, with a Johor address, and The 45 Group, where Goh’s signature appears over her name and title “Director”. The corresponding signature is that of The 45 Group CEO Healy Baumgardner-Nardone.
Rafizi’s statement today follows a report by The Daily Beast on May 24, revealing the actions of Baumgardner-Nardone, a former aide to President Donald Trump, in helping to lobby on behalf of foreign governments to the White House.
According to the report, The 45 Group received a cheque for US$250,000 (RM1.07 million) on May 9 from a Malaysian company called the Godfrey Group Ltd.
The report noted that there were two issues that the Malaysian government needed resolving in the US: the charge that it engaged in unfair trade practices and Najib being linked to the 1MDB scandal.
Baumgardner-Nardone worked for Trump’s election campaign last year, but quit just prior to the November presidential election. She reportedly maintains close ties to Trump’s inner circle.
In response to The Daily Beast report, a statement was issued by the PM’s Office last night denying that it had hired a US firm with close ties to the Trump administration to lobby on its behalf.
“Contrary to recent media reports and a registration statement, neither the Prime Minister’s Office or the government of Malaysia has instructed, appointed or contracted in any form with the Godfrey Group Ltd, the 45 Group or Healy Baumgardner-Nardone,” said Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad, who is Najib’s press secretary.
Rafizi said it was ridiculous of the PM’s office to think that it could simply issue a simple denial on the issue, saying it will certainly continue to draw attention both in the US and in Malaysia.
“Najib cannot consider that the denial is enough, as though a ‘donation’ allegedly made by Godfrey Group and Goh ‘on behalf of the government’ without his knowledge would just disappear without any further query,” he said.
Rafizi also provided evidence of the link between Goh and a company in Johor, under the same address given for Godfrey Group Ltd.
According to Rafizi, another company is registered under the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) that shares the same address as Godfrey Group Ltd with a person sharing the same name as Goh listed as the director.
With such evidence at hand, Rafizi called for Najib to come clean and declare that The 45 Group and Baumgartner-Nardone had lied in naming the prime minister as someone she is representing in the US.
“If that is the case, then Najib and the government must take legal action against the lobbyist and her company, and officially notify the US government that the registration with the relevant authority in the US was carried out fraudulently,” Rafizi said.
He also urged Goh to issue a statement to declare who had ordered her to make contact with The 45 Group and make the RM1.07 million payment in order to lobby to the US govermment, on behalf of the prime minister.
“Goh should also declare where did the money come from for such payment.”
Report: Putrajaya hires US firm for RM1.07 million to lobby Washington