DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam is an ideal candidate as caretaker Prime Minister -- should Datuk Seri Najib Razak goes on leave -- pending investigations on the large funds allegedly transferred into his personal accounts.
Lim believed Musa would fit in the role as caretaker under the condition that he must first be elected into Parliament first in accordance to the Malaysian Constitution that stipulates a PM must be a member of Dewan Rakyat.
"I think Musa would be if an agreement could be reached for him to be elected to Parliament in an early by-election. Otherwise, other candidates including Gua Musang MP and UMNO veteran, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah or someone from Sabah or Sarawak should be considered," said Lim, in a statement after delivering a speech, last night.
He said with the formation of a Cabinet caretaker, Najib and all the elected Ministers, including DPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would have to be disqualified from continuing their present roles due to the fear of arising conflict of interests during the probe involving Najib and national strategic development company, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Lim, who is also a political veteran, said Najib has failed to address four pertinent questions regarding the claims made by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in a July 3 article stating that Malaysian government investigators have found almost US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been deposited into Najib's personal accounts at a local bank made in two transactions on March 21 and 25 in 2013, ahead of the general election in May.
Lim was of the opinion that Najib must first clarify claims that he owns three personal accounts in AmBank, or some of the RM2.6 billion of funds were deposited into his personal accounts ahead of the general election just before the dissolution of Parliament on April 3 to the origin of the funds, right down to the movement of the money and where it had gone to.
"I call on Najib to publicly answer these questions before the Aidilfitri celebration, say this in his Hari Raya message, so that 1MDB will not be a dominant subject during the festive break and in the weeks leading up to the 58th Merdeka celebration and Malaysia Day anniversary on Aug 31 and Sept 16, respectively.
"Najib had never denied that he had personal bank accounts or that RM2.6 billion had been deposited into them ... but he had repeatedly denied that he had taken funds for personal gain," he said in a statement from his speech, Saturday.
On Friday, The Malaysian Insider reported that Musa said Najib has three options following the scandal including to remain in office and fight the allegations, to reliquish his post and go on leave pending the investigations
In support of the call, Lim said this was a test of Najib’s patriotism, whether he is prepared to end the government paralysis caused by the 1MDB scandal.
Lim said he agrees to the notion that Malaysians should be fair to Najib and the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty but his silence on the allegations made by WSJ has not been consistent with a plea of innocence or compatible with the clean and incorruptible image of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Haider Yutim
Sun Jul 12 2015
Kit Siang said that the next option besides Musa would be Gua Musang MP and senior UMNO leader, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. - File Photo
600,000 pelarian rayu perlindungan, Israel dakwa tiada krisis kemanusiaan
Tentera Zionis bukan sahaja bertindak kejam dengan mengebom bandar di selatan Gaza, Rafah, tetapi juga di bahagian utara dan tengah, yang sebelum ini diisytiharkan kawasan selamat bagi pelarian Palestin.
Tiada perancangan wajibkan pasang 'dashcam' - Loke
Tiada perancangan untuk mewajibkan pemasangan 'dashcam' atau kamera papan pemuka bagi semua kenderaan di negara ini.
Agong, Raja Permaisuri zahir ucapan Selamat Hari Guru
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim dan Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zarith Sofiah hari ini menzahirkan ucapan selamat Hari Guru kepada semua warga pendidik atas ilmu dan jasa yang dicurahkan.
Google akan guna AI lindungi telefon pengguna daripada aplikasi berbahaya
GOOGLE hari ini mengumumkan mereka akan memperluaskan lagi penggunaan ciri Play Protect pada peranti Android.
Kerosakan infrastruktur telekomunikasi: Syarikat pemaju didenda RM60,000
Syarikat Monarch Lodge Development didenda RM60,000 kerana didapati merosakkan kemudahan rangkaian milik Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM).
[INFOGRAFIK] Statistik Guna Tenaga 2024
Berikut adalah info berkenaan dengan Statistik Guna Tenaga bagi tahun 2024.
Amerika kenakan tarif sehingga 100% pada EV, panel solar, semikonduktor China
SEPERTI yang telah dijangka Amerika Syarikat meningkatkan tarif import beberapa produk keluaran China.
Kementerian Komunikasi utamakan artis veteran dalam penganjuran majlis, program - Fahmi
Artis veteran akan menjadi keutamaan dalam majlis atau program Kementerian Komunikasi bagi membuat persembahan.
Siti Nurul Masyitah terlepas peluang ke kejohanan dunia
Timbalan Menteri Belia & Sukan, Adam Adli memaklumkan atlet kayak negara, Siti Nurul Masyitah yang dilanggar pemandu mabuk, terlepas peluang ke Kejohanan Dunia Perahu Naga di Filipina November depan.
Pantau Belanjawan: Akta - Kepentingan pembeli, pemaju dan pemilik tanah dilindungi?
Akta Pembangunan Hartanah bagi Semenanjung Malaysia dijangka dibentangkan di Parlimen tahun depan, kata Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan Nga Kor Ming. Apakah realiti sektor hartanah di Malaysia dan bagaimana pelaksanaan Akta ini dapat melindungi kepentingan pembeli, pemaju dan pemilik tanah? Kupasan lanjut bersama Pengasas Pejuang Hartanah, Ahyat Ishak.
PM Anwar cadang pertimbang tahanan rumah Najib hanya selepas kes 1MDB selesai
Anwar berpandangan bahawa Yang di-Pertuan Agong hanya perlu mempertimbangkan tahanan rumah kepada Najib selepas kes 1MDB selesai.
1MDB: Mahkamah Persekutuan tolak permohonan Apandi dalam kes saman Kit Siang
Mahkamah Persekutuan menolak permohonan Apandi untuk mendapatkan kebenaran meneruskan rayuannya terhadap penolakan Mahkamah Rayuan berkenaan tuntutan RM10 juta yang difailkannya terhadap Kit Siang.
Barangan mewah lebih AS$346 juta: 1MDB, 10 syarikat saman Rosmah
Kesemua syarikat itu antara lain menuntut Rosmah membayar AS$346,010,489 atau sejumlah amaun yang ditaksirkan oleh mahkamah.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Fitnah Sultanah Terengganu: Rewcastle-Brown diarah hadir prosiding rayuan
Mahkamah Tinggi mengarahkan Rewcastle-Brown, hadir ke mahkamah dalam pengurusan kes rayuannya.
Kes jenayah Goldman Sachs berhubung 1MDB tamat secara rasmi
Goldman Sachs telah memenuhi kewajipannya dan membayar penalti sebanyak AS$2.9 bilion.
Kes 1MDB: Siasatan SPRM dapati Najib lakukan kesalahan salah guna kuasa - Saksi
Siasatan SPRM mendapati elemen salah guna kuasa untuk dapatkan rasuah itu dikesan sewaktu pemeteraian perjanjian bersama Aabar PJS.
Najib dapat persetujuan Kabinet sebelum luluskan surat sokongan bon US$3 bilion
Mahkamah Tinggi di sini hari ini diberitahu Najib telah mendapatkan persetujuan sebulat suara daripada menteri-menteri Kabinet sebelum meluluskan surat sokongan berhubung penerbitan bon.
SPRM mohon maklumat dari Jerman berhubung dana 1MDB disyaki beli kereta mewah
Ia berhubung laporan kereta mewah dirampas oleh pihak berkuasa Jerman di Munich yang dipercayai berkait dengan kes 1MDB.
Kes 1MDB: Najib percaya Blackstone dikawal Arab Saudi, Raja Abdullah - Saksi
Saksi memberitahu Najib percaya bahawa syarikat Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners dikawal oleh kerajaan Arab Saudi dan Raja Arab Saudi.