KUALA LUMPUR - A week before the High Court is set to determine whether Datuk Seri Najib Razak is guilty or acquitted of charges related to the misappropriation of funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the former prime minister issued a public apology to Malaysians today.
This apology addressed the misconduct that occurred within 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), particularly during his tenure as Finance Minister.
During a press conference, Datuk Mohamad Nizar, Najib’s eldest son and former MP for Pekan, conveyed his father's feelings, stating that Najib was deeply hurt by the fraud that transpired within the country's strategic company.
"My father has nothing else to say but to offer a public apology to all Malaysians.
"I am merely reading what is in his heart. He was truly shocked to learn about the immoral actions and legal violations that happened within 1MDB.
"Najib has already been politically punished, even though it is clear that my father was not the mastermind behind the misappropriations at 1MDB.
"He never once conspired with Jho Low (fugitive businessman, Low Taek Jho), and therefore, my father should not be made a victim under the law,” he said.
The Peramu Jaya assemblyman stressed that it was unfair to hold his father accountable for things that he neither initiated nor deliberately allowed.
He added that although it was evident his father was not the mastermind behind 1MDB and had never conspired with Jho Low, Najib, aged 71, was still punished for the responsibilities he bore.
The Barisan Nasional leader argued that the former Pekan MP should not be a victim of the law.
Nizar, who also serves as the Chairman of the Investment, Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation Committee in Pahang, described that after Najib had served 26 months in prison, he felt compelled to make this statement following significant recent developments related to 1MDB.
"The court trial and convictions involving PetroSaudi executives in the Swiss courts, along with an article published by a portal, once again prove that my father was neither the mastermind nor conspired with Jho Low to misappropriate 1MDB funds.
"The conclusion of the article stated that PetroSaudi and Jho Low conspired to deceive my father.
"He was unaware that PetroSaudi had diverted 1MDB funds, and Najib had no knowledge that he had received the money.
"Though it may be hard for some to understand, my father was advised and believed that, at the time, the funds received were political donations from the Saudi government.
"There were indeed two large confirmed donations from the Saudi government in 2010, but these were never the subject of any criminal or civil proceedings,” said he said.
Nizar said that when concerns arose and various parties began questioning issues related to 1MDB, his father acknowledged that he should have taken different actions.
He added that Najib had directed several investigations to be conducted, but the former Umno President tended to trust the explanations provided by the 1MDB board of directors and management.
"When my father began to doubt what was really happening, his main concern was to restore the financial situation and manage the risks posed to diplomatic and bilateral relations at the highest levels,” he said.