1MDB to be main issue for DAP in Sandakan

(FMT) – A DAP leader today urged Sandakan voters to take the opportunity to ask former prime minister Najib Razak about the 1MDB affair when he visits later this week.

DAP deputy secretary-general Nga Kor Ming was commenting on talk that Najib would be coming to Sandakan this Friday, a day before polling day for the Sandakan by-election.

“This is the biggest money laundering case in the world. If it is not true, why did the US government return a large sum of money confiscated in connection with the 1MDB case? The US government does not freely return money if it is not verified that it was stolen,” he said.

He added that the government would continue its efforts to recover the money, saying the US had just returned RM236.5 million.

According to Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, this was the first instalment of funds recovered from asset seizures related to 1MDB.

Yesterday, Thomas said the seizure was done under the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative of the US Department of Justice. The sum was transferred into the 1MDB asset recovery account, which was opened for the purpose.

“This is why I hope the Sandakan people will stand strong behind the Pakatan Harapan government as we work to recover all this money, alleged to amount to RM18.4 billion,” Nga said.

“So far, we have recovered 10% of the money and returned it to Malaysians to be used to develop the country.”

Nga also called on the voters of Sandakan to send a clear message that the people want a clean government.

The Sandakan by-election will be held this Saturday. The seat became vacant after its MP Stephen Wong died in March. His youngest daughter, Vivian Wong, is the DAP candidate. She faces a challenge from PBS vice-president Linda Tsen and three independent candidates.