Patriot president Brigadier-General (Rtd) Mohamed Arshad Raji said Najmuddin needed to provide a more convincing explanation for the bank account which was frozen by Australian authorities.
He said ignorance of the laws in Australia and in Malaysia with regards to remitting funds was inexcusable.
“Without prejudice to the innocence of Najmuddin, we strongly feel that the MACC should have investigated this case and should proceed forthwith,” he said in a statement.
Arshad said giving the impression that others had banked money into one’s personal account, even though anonymously deposited, was an absolute no-no.
“This applies to those who hold high office, from the highest office of the executive, to lower ranking officers of government departments and agencies.
“Applying the legal maxim ‘justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done’, those in uniform should not only conduct themselves with honour and integrity, but must also be seen and held in high esteem by the public. This applies to all politicians, especially those who hold high offices.”
Arshad was commenting on reports quoting Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that Najmuddin might have been “naive” about Australian laws concerning remittances to fund his children’s education.
“This issue of remittance surfaced back in 2016. Najmuddin has already given me his explanation on the matter, and I am confident of his honesty.
“However, he might have been naive about laws surrounding the remittance, because although the money was acquired from the sale of a house, it exceeded A$10,000, which is the limit set by the Australian government,” Berita Harian quoted Zahid as saying.
Last Friday, Australian authorities froze a bank account belonging to Najmuddin containing more than A$320,000.
The Australian federal police suspected a “flurry of suspicious cash deposits” into Najmuddin’s Commonwealth Bank “Goal Saver” bank account, which had been lying dormant since it was opened in 2011.
The unnamed depositor visited branches and automatic teller machines (ATMs) across the country, from Biloela in Queensland to Devonport in northern Tasmania and Lakemba in western Sydney, as well as the commercial centre in Melbourne.
Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun, however, cleared Najmuddin of any form of misdemeanour based on documents proving that the funds in the Australian bank account were from the sale of a house in Shah Alam.
“Najmuddin has also provided justification for the need to acquire an overseas account, for the sole purpose of funding his children’s education in Australia.
“Thus, it is baseless to assume that the source of the money was from questionable origins or that Najmuddin was involved in any form of indictable offences,” Fuzi had said.
Arshad said Patriot had no reason to doubt the statement and integrity of the IGP in defending his officer.
However, the group was concerned that the legacy of honour, selflessness, pride and integrity should continue to be highly regarded by all.
“Honour and integrity are core values dictating those in uniform, the military and police. No action or conduct of any officer should raise doubt of such highly regarded values in the eyes of others,” he said.