Najib wants RM100m house sold, proceeds given to i-Citra applicants

Najib wants RM100m house sold, proceeds given to i-Citra applicants

Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak has reaffirmed that he has withdrawn his application to the right of residence that is accorded to former prime ministers.

Instead, he wants the land and house which is owned by the government and valued at RM100million to be sold and the proceeds used to raise the i-Citra withdrawal limit from RM5,000 to RM10,000.

"I have withdrawn the application for the right of residence as per the government act. My decision is final.

"If the land and houses are really worth RM100 million, I suggest the minister of finance sell it and the RM100 million raised can be put into a special fund to be given as a loan without any interest or service costs to those who have long asked for i-Citra to be increased from RM5k to RM10k.

"This is if the finance minister still does not want to approve the EPF withdrawal limit increase.

"RM100 million can benefit 20,000 recipients with a value of RM5k per person," said Najib on a Facebook post today,

The i-Citra withdrawal facility currently allows Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members to withdraw from their respective accounts, subject to their eligibility, up to RM5,000 spread over five months.

On Nov 18, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz confirmed the cabinet discussed a request from Najib for a piece of land and house belonging to the government that was worth RM100 million.

It was later revealed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that the government agreed in principle to grant Najib his request.

He said it was Najib's right as a former prime minister under the law.

However, he noted the decision was still subject to further deliberation.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar

Najib said he withdrew his request before Wan Junaidi made the announcement.

The announcement drew howls of protest from Pakatan Harapan whose chief Anwar Ibrahim said the revelation was shocking and forces the coalition to reevaluate its understanding with the government.

Harapan's support is crucial for the BN-led federal government, which has become increasingly fragile as it clashed with partner-cum-rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Malacca state election, which BN won in a landslide yesterday.