Dr Mahathir - Di mana wang 1MDB & Politik Keluarga...

Walaupun Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak sudah berjumpa dengan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, beliau masih tidak berpuas hati dengan penjelasan melibatkan 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Dr Mahathir sebaliknya mendesak Putrajaya mendedahkan di mana wang 1MDB disimpan jika telus mengenai kontroversi syarikat pelaburan tersebut.

"Penjelasan tidak jelas kepada kita semua," kata Dr Mahathir dalam wawancara eksklusif bersama portal Sarawak Report hari ini.

"Saya mahu tahu di mana bank yang menyimpannya. Berbilion dollar, kamu mesti simpan di suatu tempat. Saya tidak tahu di mana wang tersebut – itu sebahagian daripada ketelusan."

Perkara tersebut diluahkan Dr Mahathir kepada pengarang laman tersebut selepas dijemput Yayasan Perdana di Putrajaya.

Malah Dr Mahathir juga enggan menerima penjelasan yang diberikan wakil 1MDB dalam satu perjumpaan baru-baru ini.

"Saya persoalkan penjelasan tersebut, ia suatu yang tidak boleh diterima.

"Ia agak samar... Saya persoalkan penubuhan 1MDB dan cara ia diuruskan. Mereka (pengurus) mereka jumpa saya, tapi mereka tidak dapat jelaskan bagaimana wang tersebut diuruskan dan mengapa loji janakuasa dibeli pada harga tinggi dan komisyen dibayar kepada Goldman Sachs," kata Dr Mahathir.

Pada Disember lalu, The Malaysian Insider mendedahkan pertemuan antara Najib dengan Dr Mahathir untuk berbincang mengenai 1MDB.

Perjumpaan itu diadakan selepas bekas perdana menteri yang paling lama berkhidmat itu berulang kali membangkitkan persoalan mengenai hutang besar dan penggunaan dana di 1MDB menerusi tulisan di blognya dan merungut mengenai operasi 1MDB pada sidang medianya.

Pengkritik bercakap mengenai kurangnya ketelusan bagaimana wang itu diuruskan hingga ke Pulau Cayman dan dianggarkan sekurang-kurangnya RM18 bilion wang 1MDB disimpan di sana.

1MDB adalah dana wang kerajaan yang kedua selepas Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

Dr Mahathir juga mempersoalkan mengapa Perhimpunan Agung Umno yang diadakan pada November lalu gagal membincangkan isu kepentingan awam seperti 1MDB.

Pemimpin Umno Pulau Pinang, Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan juga membuat laporan polis terhadap 1MDB berhubung aktiviti kewangannya yang meragukan dan pinjaman yang terlalu banyak.

Semalam, naib ketua Umno Bahagian Batu Kawan itu membuat laporan ke Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia berhubung 1MDB.- tmi

Where's the money, Mahathir asks 1MDB...

1Malaysia Development Bhd's (1MDB) announcement that the RM8.3 billion it parked in the Cayman Islands have finally been redeemed has done little to placate former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who insists on knowing where the money is now.

Mahathir, who has been a fierce critic of the investment arm, said 1MDB's mere announcement that the amount had been fully redeemed was not acceptable.

"The explanation does not enlighten us on anything.

"I want to know which bank it's kept in now. A billion dollars; you must keep it somewhere, you see.

"I don't know where the money is – that is part of transparency," he said in an interview with Sarawak Report published yesterday.

1MDB's announcement comes amid a missed deadline for the fund to repay a RM2 billion bridge loan last December

The controversy-plagued 1MDB earlier this month also saw a reshuffle, with Abu Dhabi-based Malaysian banker Arul Kanda Kandasamy taking over its new chief executive officer.

Wholly owned by the Finance Ministry, 1MDB has been heavily criticised for parking RM8.3 billion in a tax haven abroad instead of investing locally.

It has also been criticised for overpaying RM2.7 billion for expiring independent power producer companies in 2012 and forking out US$476 million (RM1.7 billion) in commission to Goldman Sachs for two fundraising exercises in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

'1MDB is unconvincing'

In the interview, Mahathir said 1MDB officials had met him over his unhappiness but failed to provide satisfactory explanations.

"I question the explanation, it is not something I can accept. It is very shallow…. I question the creation of 1MDB and how it is managed.

"They (the managers) came to see me, but they couldn't explain how the money was raised and why the power plants were brought at such high prices and the commission that was paid to Goldman Sachs," he said.

Mahathir (left), who was prime minister for 22 years, added that there was no need for a sovereign wealth fund like 1MDB.

1MDB was set up in 2009 after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak came to power.

Mahathir said the government should not be setting up a sovereign wealth fund to gamble with the rakyat's money.

"I don't think that it is necessary for us to have a funds like this. We are doing well enough without a fund...

"In the first place, they got the money to lend to the Saudis and they (Saudis) put it in hedge funds.

"The government should not be gambling money in hedge funds," he was quoted as saying.

1MDB accounts have showed that the 'Saudis' repaid the loan to with interest of US$488 million, and the firm then invested it in Cayman Islands regulated funds.- mk

Dr M unperturbed about irking Najib...

He will turn 90 this year. But his advanced age has not diminished the man's influence nor potential to dismantle political careers.

And speculation is rife that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is the latest to fall on the long-reigning former PM’s crosshairs.

Recently, Dr Mahathir Mohamad - who has been critical of the current administration - cautioned Umno against political dynasties.

This appeared to be an obvious swipe at Najib, whose father was once party president and the nation's second prime minister.

However, Mahathir denied Najib was his prime target, but added he could not care less whose feathers he had ruffled.

"I did not say anything about Najib. I made a general statement.

"If anyone felt slighted, that is their problem," he said in his latest blog posting.

It is often said that Najib's lineage had spurred the PM’s meteoric rise in Umno.

However, detractors say this lineage is the very reason the prime minister is allegedly out of touch with the grassroots.

Pot calling kettle?

Meanwhile, Mahathir said he was merely reminding Umno that family connections should not influence or determine the choosing of leaders.

"I cannot understand why I am wrong to state anyone who is qualified and loves Umno deserves to be elected for all posts," said the former premier.

Ironically, Mahathir too has a political heir in Umno in the form of Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir.

And the former Umno president of two decades has been accused of attempting to engineer his son's ascension in the party.

But Mahathir argued that Mukhriz' case was different.

"I have forbidden my son from chasing positions in Umno unless elected by the leaders and not family," he said.

Mahathir was responding to Umno leader Mohd Puad Zarkashi who said that it is not easy for political dynasties to take shape in the party now.

The latter pointed out that the Umno constitution has been amended so that it is not the small number of delegates at the party's annual meet who elect leaders, but the 146,000 delegates to the divisional meetings.

Apart from Najib and Mukhriz, there is another political scion in the upper echelons of Umno.

Vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein is also in the running for the prime minister's post.

Currently overseeing the defence portfolio, Hishammuddin is Najib's cousin and the son of third prime minister Hussein Onn. - mk

Mahathir - Politik Keluarga

Story kat SINI     

Bila rakyat tak bayar cukai Najib gelarkan rakyat sebagai'PENGKHIANAT'... 

cheers.