Kerajaan ada kewajipan moral audit RM50 juta Umno untuk Najib, kata Kadir Jasin

Veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin has stated that the Malaysian government has a moral obligation to investigate the source of the RM50 million collected by Umno to pay the fine imposed on former Prime Minister Najib Razak in the SRC International case. Kadir stressed that the government, which repeatedly emphasizes its commitment to preventing corruption, must ensure that the payment comes from a legitimate source, regardless of who the donor is.

He believes that authorities such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (SPRM), the police, the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN) and Bank Negara should investigate the RM50 million donation. Kadir noted that such a large sum must be scrutinized, including the possibility of individual or business contributions related to government contracts.

While some projects may have been carried out smoothly, the corrupt element still cannot be swept under the rug, he added. On November 7, Kampar MP Chong Zhemin also called on Umno to confirm or deny allegations of contractors involved in road projects contributing to the fund. Former Damansara MP Tony Pua urged Bank Negara and SPRM to audit the funds to ensure they are legitimate and free from illicit money.

However, Walter Sandosam, who once served on the SPRM monitoring panel, explained that there is no legal provision mandating an audit of charitable contributions, describing Umno's suggestion as a personal initiative. Umno cleared the RM50 million fine as part of a conditional pardon allowing Najib to continue serving his prison sentence in house arrest, pending legal issues concerning the conditional pardon and the royal order issued by the High Court.

Meanwhile, former ACCA President Khalid Ahmad said that donation tracking is not an error, as long as its source is legitimate. "Donations are not a mistake, as long as its source is legal," he told FMT. "However, the source of the funds may need to be purified." Khalid suggested that banks and anti-money laundering agencies have mechanisms under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Financing of Terrorism Act 2001 (AMLA) to trace the source of funds, if necessary.

He pointed out that banks, Bank Negara and the police have the right to investigate the origin of the money and whether it was obtained through legitimate means. Additionally, BNM's anti-money laundering guidelines mandate the assessment of transaction risks, including the investigation of fund sources for higher-risk cases.