Najib’s “why blame me” defence may yet come undone

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 –  The testimony that Datuk Seri Najib Razak had offered RM3.5 million for one of the accused in the Kevin Morais murder to confess to the killing is just the latest criminal case now being linked to the former prime minister.

Though a news like this would have gotten greater coverage in the past, being part of a trial, but since the outcome of the 14th general election (GE14) on May 9, it seems like it has almost become the norm to see the former Umno president accused of a major crime.

Najib had long been linked to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, with the revelations made by the late PI Bala, on the events that led to the Mongolian model’s death and the aftermath, in a statutory declaration (SD) in July 2008.

That “problem” quickly went away, with the former cop uprooting his life, with his family, and suddenly moving to India within a few days after making a second SD retracting his first SD.

Even Bala’s death, shortly after returning to Malaysia five years later, has been linked to Najib, as well as his wife Rosmah Mansor, in a case brought by the PI’s widow.

No more power, no more protection

Najib had no reason to defend himself while Barisan Nasional was in power, however, being out of government, some of these skeletons (no pun intended) are now returning to haunt the former PM.

He has naturally deflected such accusations, mockingly issuing a statement that he is now being blamed for everything from traffic jams to prices of goods not going down, and even for Manchester United’s recent bad form.

“If it rains tomorrow, and you’re late for work, it is Najib’s fault,” he added in a Facebook post two days ago.

This is not the first time that he has tried to lightly brush off accusations linked to him.

Always playing the victim of “blame game”

Back in July, he also claimed that Pakatan Harapan leaders were trying to pin the blame on him over the delay in the naming of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

Going further back, in early December 2016, at the Umno general assembly, Najib blasted the then opposition for blaming him for all kinds of mistakes, with “stories which had purposely been created by the opposition to instigate the people, including several murder cases”.

“Even in cases of people I did not know, Altantuya (Shariibuu) they said I was involved. If I was involved, never mind the police, my wife would have done something. Even though I had taken a vow in the mosque, the story still keeps coming up, but there is no evidence at all.

“I was also said to be involved in the Kevin Morais murder case,” Najib told his supporters then.

Innocent on 1MDB previously

At the same event, Najib had also accused Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was leading PH, of creating fake stories about the debts of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“He said the 1MDB lost RM42 billion, later he said it was RM27 billion, but they ignore all the good that 1MDB has done,” Najib reportedly said.

Following the outcome of GE14, the 1MDB scandal has unravelled and the full extent of its losses has been revealed. The police have also linked the money trail to the famous RM2.6 billion deposit into Najib’s personal accounts in March 2013.

So, it is left to be seen what evidence that may yet come out incriminating the former prime minister, if the relevant authorities are given the time and space to carry out their investigations uninhibited.

– NMT