Did contractors help pay Najib’s RM50mil fine, DAP MP asks
Kampar MP Chong Zhemin says a poster circulating online claims seven contractors paid for the former prime minister’s fine
Kampar MP Chong Zhemin urged deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Umno president, to clear the air over a poster claiming that contractors involved on rural road projects paid for Najib Razak’s fine. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: A DAP MP has urged Umno to confirm or deny claims that contractors involved in road projects under the rural and regional development ministry contributed towards paying former prime minister Najib Razak’s RM50 million fine.
Kampar MP Chong Zhemin said a poster circulating online since yesterday claimed that seven contractors paid Najib’s RM50 million fine.
He said he personally did not believe the claim, adding that deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would not resort to an “I help you, you help me” approach.
“I look forward to Zahid publishing the full list of JALB (rural road projects) contractors and to Umno disclosing whether any of them contributed to Najib’s fine,” Chong said in a statement.
Chong said that Zahid should also publish the full list of JALB projects with outstanding payments and the full list of new JALB projects approved during his tenure.
“For each project, the ministry should disclose when it was approved, when payments fell due, how much has been paid and how much remains unpaid,” he added.
Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party settled the RM50 million fine imposed on its former president, Najib, allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence for his graft conviction under house arrest.
Najib’s lawyer Farhan Shafee confirmed that the fine had been paid.
Najib was granted a conditional pardon, allowing him to serve his remaining six years jail term for his SRC International case at home if he pays the RM50 million fine and complied with other stipulated conditions.
However, the Attorney-General’s Chambers suggested Najib’s house arrest be deferred until a review of the conditional pardon and Order of Discharge is conducted.
His lawyers, however, said that the AGC had no power to delay the house arrest as every condition of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s order for house arrest had been met.
Kampar MP Chong Zhemin said a poster circulating online since yesterday claimed that seven contractors paid Najib’s RM50 million fine.
He said he personally did not believe the claim, adding that deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi would not resort to an “I help you, you help me” approach.
“I look forward to Zahid publishing the full list of JALB (rural road projects) contractors and to Umno disclosing whether any of them contributed to Najib’s fine,” Chong said in a statement.
Chong said that Zahid should also publish the full list of JALB projects with outstanding payments and the full list of new JALB projects approved during his tenure.
“For each project, the ministry should disclose when it was approved, when payments fell due, how much has been paid and how much remains unpaid,” he added.
Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party settled the RM50 million fine imposed on its former president, Najib, allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence for his graft conviction under house arrest.
Najib’s lawyer Farhan Shafee confirmed that the fine had been paid.
Najib was granted a conditional pardon, allowing him to serve his remaining six years jail term for his SRC International case at home if he pays the RM50 million fine and complied with other stipulated conditions.
However, the Attorney-General’s Chambers suggested Najib’s house arrest be deferred until a review of the conditional pardon and Order of Discharge is conducted.
His lawyers, however, said that the AGC had no power to delay the house arrest as every condition of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s order for house arrest had been met.
Need for stronger political financing laws
Miri MP and former lawyer Chiew Choon Man said the donation drive to pay Najib’s RM50 million fine reinforced the need for stronger political financing laws to ensure greater transparency over the sources of large donations and political fundraising.
“While public donations to political parties may not be expressly prohibited under our present laws, we must distinguish between what is legally permissible and what is right in principle,” he said in a separate statement.
Chuew said the donation drive defeats the purpose of detering wrongdoing, of holding convicted persons accountable, and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
“A criminal fine is not imposed merely to fill the government’s coffers. It is meant to make the offender bear the consequences of his wrongdoing.
“When the financial burden of a criminal fine is shifted to political supporters, we risk defeating the very purpose of the punishment,” the deputy arts and tourism minister said.
Of course they did...these are the cronies who are calculating that UMNO will be back as the Federal Government lead after the General Elections, and they need to get on-board NOW.
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