WSJ editor a liar, says 1MDB over latest claim on Najib’s billions
(The Malaysian Insider) – 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) said again today it had never channelled any funds into Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s bank accounts, following The Wall Street Journal finance editor’s claim that a RM2.6 billion “political donation” was not from the Saudi royal family but companies related to the state-owned investment firm.
Calling editor Ken Brown’s latest claim a “lie”, 1MDB said the fact that it had never transferred funds to Najib’s accounts has been stated by the authorities.
“Contrary to the Wall Street Journal’s baseless and unproven allegations, 1MDB has consistently maintained that it has not paid any funds to the personal accounts of the prime minister.
“This has been reiterated by multiple lawful authorities, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, attorney-general, and various reputable international publications, who have confirmed that these funds came from Saudi Arabia,” 1MDB said in a statement today.
Brown said in a recent interview with Australia’s ABC News that WSJ had evidence that the money found in Najib’s accounts were from companies and bank accounts “related” to 1MDB.
“Our reporting has shown for months now that the money did not come from the Saudis but it came via a bunch of companies and bank accounts related to 1MDB.
“Our story hasn’t been called into question yet and we have lots of evidence to back that up,” said Brown in the interview, which was uploaded onto ABC News on February 12.
He said ongoing international investigations into the state-owned investment fund would likely lead authorities to Najib, who is also the finance minister and chairman of 1MDB’s advisory board.
But 1MDB today said that WSJ’s claim that its “reporting on this matter has never been called into question” was “disingenuous” and also an outright lie.
