Topic: Political corruption & conflict of interest
Related news: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/595985
Coverage by: Malaysiakini
The Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) has cried foul after Najib Abdul Razak was permitted to travel abroad despite a corruption conviction and ongoing criminal trials.
The NGO demanded an explanation as to why the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) did not object to the former prime minister’s application for his travel document.
It also questioned how the government would ensure Najib would not abscond.
“We urge the AGC and the prosecution team to explain to the public why there was no objection to Najib’s application for temporary custody of his passport.
“There are real reasons for concern about flight risk as he is appealing his conviction and continues to face more daunting charges in court – all related to 1MDB and its subsidiaries,” the NGO said in a statement today.
C4 noted that “Najib allies” like 1MDB mastermind Low Taek Jho and former 1MDB CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil had already escaped from Malaysia.
“Malaysia cannot afford to give Najib any opportunity to escape after being charged with multiple counts of money laundering and corruption in such a massive financial heist.
“We ask again what measures are in place to ensure he does not slip away,” it stressed.
RM1.7b tax arrears vs PTPTN
Last month, the Inland Revenue Board issued Najib a bankruptcy notice for failing to pay RM1.69 billion in tax. The Pekan MP has since taken the case to court.
C4 contrasted this to how Malaysians were once barred from leaving the country if they failed to repay their National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loans.
“How is it that Najib, who owes the government such a hefty sum, is allowed to leave the country while PTPTN loan and income tax defaulters get blacklisted?
“While the blacklist for PTPTN loan defaulters has since been overturned, this still represents a gross iniquity in treatment.
“Double standards in the execution of the law will greatly affect the upholding of the rule of law,” it remarked.
C4 reiterated that the government must assure that it was not allowing Najib to slip away.
“We urge the Ismail Sabri Yaakob government to assure Malaysians that Najib must account for his misdeeds and cannot be given preferential treatment,” it said.
Last Friday, Najib applied to have his passport temporarily returned on grounds that his daughter Nooryana Najwa Najib was about to give birth in Singapore.
The Court of Appeal previously confiscated both his passports while hearing his appeal against his RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd conviction and sentence.
Yesterday, the court released his passport to him from Oct 20 to Nov 22.
Meanwhile, Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor was also allowed temporary access to her passport on the same grounds.
She previously surrendered her passport as part of bail conditions pending the disposal of her corruption trial linked to an RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court released Rosmah’s passport from Oct 15 to Dec 6.
