PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said his party is grateful to the MACC for clearing the air over the allegations that the Islamist party received funds linked to 1MDB.
“The confirmation proves all the allegations about the matter were lies, wild slander and an evil plot that is mala fide in nature and aimed to sully the image and integrity of PAS, particularly in the run-up to the 14th general election.
“Therefore, PAS urges all quarters to accept MACC’s confirmation as fact which was based on a transparent, professional investigation, without fear or favour to any quarters,” he said in a statement today.
Takiyuddin added that PAS will take legal action against anyone perpetuating the claim.
Earlier today, MACC chief Mohd Shukri Abdull confirmed that the MACC has yet to find any 1MDB funds ending up in PAS’ official bank account.
“MACC’s investigation to date has not found the RM90 million in funds, supposedly originating from 1MDB, entering PAS’ account,” he had said.
The PAS Gen Sec has predictably siezed on a statement by an MACC official to accuse others of “wild slander and lies”, activities which it has officially granted itself permission to indulge in, but has yet to prove against Sarawak Report.
Sarawak Report invites Mr Takiyuddin, for example, to provide a single instance where this site suggested that money going to PAS from UMNO was derived from 1MDB.
We also ask why the statement that money did not come from 1MDB somehow means that “all allegations about the matter [of cash from UMNO]” are “wild slander”, “an evil plot” and so forth.
After all, the money flowing directly from Najib’s 1MDB slush accounts to allied parties stopped the moment Sarawak Report exposed the original 1MDB scandal back in February 2015. Whereas the main collaboration with PAS plainly started later.
Following this partial statement about something that had not been alleged in the first place from an official who is not leading on the case, the MACC should be asked to complete the information and confirm whether or not it has information that PAS received money from UMNO, which was used to pay for seat deposits?
Sarawak Report provided evidence of such cash transfers from UMNO into PAS accounts in advance of GE14 that appeared to be for that purpose, as part of its defence against Hadi’s claims of defamation. PAS retreated and dropped its court case.
So, let’s hear the full story from the MACC investigation and not a comment on something that was never alleged.
It is meanwhile interesting that Takiyuddin is once again issuing pre-election threats to sue those who report on genuine public interest concerns about the apparent secretive collaboration of two political parties, who appear to have resorted to an aggressive, extremist racist agenda on top of transacting those corrupt payments…. and all sadly in the name of religion.