KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 6): Authorities should investigate the source of the money raised to pay former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s fine, said DAP’s Tony Pua.
Bank Negara Malaysia and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission should audit the money trails going into Umno’s donation account for Najib “to make sure that all the funds raised were legitimate, and not laundered”, he said in a Facebook post on Friday.
“It is time for Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or creed, to once again see Umno-BN's true colours,” he wrote.
The call comes on the heels of Umno’s announcement that a donation drive launched in September to help Najib, twice-convicted of high crimes, to pay his fine has reached its target and the fund would be shut down.
The fund has since been paid to the court, allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest following a second clemency by the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
Pua, who has been one of the harshest critics of Najib, lamented that Umno chose to "free" Najib instead of using such a large sum of money to help ordinary Malaysians.
“Umno’s colours shine very brightly,” he added.
Najib has been in jail since August 2022 after being found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of government company 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
The original sentence was 12 years in jail and a RM210 million fine before the punishment was lessened in 2024 by the previous King, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Najib was subsequently sentenced to another 15 years’ imprisonment in December 2025 after being convicted for a more serious crime at 1MDB, although he is appealing against the decision. The sentence is to run after he finishes his SRC jail term in August 2028.