Why is Najib so confident, has he forced MACC to clear him? Pas tells Najib to go on 'haj' to cleanse himself

KUALA LUMPUR - A PAS leader insisted today that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak went on temporary leave as local investigators continue to pore over 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) books, saying it was the best way to help mend public and investor confidence in the country's leadership.

The party's deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tun Man told the prime minister that declaring to Malaysians that he was cleared of graft allegations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was not the best way to regain their confidence.

"I repeat my view that it is better for Najib to take leave and perform the hajj. Give the public some breathing room and allow them to return to their daily tasks without unnecessary disturbances.

"This would also allow the 1MDB probe to be completed and Najib's name can then be cleared even faster, seeing as he is confidence that he had not committed any wrong," he said in a statement here.

He observed that Najib has been busy defending himself and his position in Umno, especially over the issue of the RM2.6 billion donation that was found in his accounts.

Ibrahim (left) told the prime minister that declaring to Malaysians that he was cleared of graft allegations by the MACC was not the best way to regain their confidence.

Since MACC revealed that the sum was a donation to the Umno president, Tuan Ibrahim said Najib has been forced to deal with questions raised from all around, including from Umno leaders like his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, his vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and party youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

"The question now is whether Najib has time to rule the country and to help improve investor confidence, which is imperative to save the ringgit?" Tuan Ibrahim asked.

Last weekend, Najib declared that the MACC had exculpated him of corruption claims linked to the RM2.6 billion donation found in his accounts.

He also reiterated that he did not take the money for his own interests, but had received it on behalf of his party.

The MACC had last week declared that the RM2.6 billion deposited in Najib’s accounts was not from 1MDB as previously alleged, but donations from an unnamed source. - TMI