Najib, Pak Lah and Mahathir also named in banknote graft case, says WikiLeaks
(TMI) – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his two predecessors and several former ministers have been named in the gag order obtained by the Australian government that censors the media there from reporting about a multi-million dollar corruption case involving Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, whistleblower website WikiLeaks revealed today.
The case involves the Reserve Bank of Australia’s subsidiary companies Securency and Note Printing Australia.
Employees from both companies are alleged to have bribed foreign officials in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam from 1999 to 2004 to win banknote printing contracts.
Besides Najib, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin were among prominent Malaysian politicians named in the injunction.
Also named were former international trade and industry minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and former foreign affairs minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
It also included a sister–in-law of Abdullah, who is identified only as Noni in the injunction.
WikiLeaks had managed to obtain a copy of the super injunction order, which had been granted to prevent damage to Australia’s international relations.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said the orders had been made on the grounds that it was necessary to prevent prejudice to the interests of the Commonwealth in relation to national security.
“The orders were deemed necessary to prevent a real and substantial risk of prejudice to the proper administration of justice that cannot be prevented by other reasonably available means.”
Assange had criticised the Australian government for obtaining the super injunction, accusing them of gagging and blindfolding the Australian public.
