TTF: When Dr Mahathir Mohamad puts on a smile, he could well be angry.
When he goes all teary eyed, he could well be happy.
This fellow is a master in the game of “poker.”
Right now, he’s desperately looking for ways to impress upon people that it’s game over for UMNO, that the man the party’s been championing, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, is gone for good.
That’s far from the case.
Frankly, if you’ve got the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General in your pocket, you could throw just about any charge at anyone even if you know the charge will ultimately get thrown out of court or lead to a dead end.
And that’s exactly what’s happening in the case of Najib (see news item below).
Both Mahathir and the Attorney-General, Tommy Thomas, know that they have zilch on the former premier and are playing a game of perception in a desperate attempt to lure UMNO MPs to Pakatan Harapan.
He’s even asked the police to throw more charges at Najib next week.
Truth be told, Mahathir has comes to terms with the fact that he may have to batten down the hatches in a last ditch attempt to stay relevant.
He can trigger a nationwide swoop if he so wishes, but nothing he does or plans will do him good.
It’s time he and I met, face to face.
Note: An analysis of the charges brought against Najib will be out later today.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) did not rule out that Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor would be charge soon.
Its deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki, however, declined to comment further at the court complex here.
NST, in its exclusive report recently said Rosmah was expected to formally answer charges of money laundering after probes that first began more than two years ago were revived.
The investigation, dubbed as the ‘Rosmah Case’, was linked to allegedly suspicious sources of funds connected to her husband that had earlier hit a brick wall.
Azam also did not rule out that more people was expected to be charge under 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal probe.
However, he denied that the anti-graft body had summoned Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed to assist their probe.
“There will be more charges related to this investigation as we are working hand in hand with the police.
“We are focusing more on the track the monies and assets belong to 1MDB in other countries,” he said in a press conference at the court complex lobby.
He also said that it was a historical moment that MACC and police are working together in 1MBD probe.
“MACC is focusing on investigation related to predicate offences and police is focusing on money laundering,” he said.
Najib had pleaded not guilty to all charges before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.
His first four charges were under Section 23 (1) and 24 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 while the other 21 charges were under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA).
In the charges under the MACC Act, Najib, 64, was accused of using his then position as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of the 1MDB advisory board, to receive bribes on four occasions.
Meanwhile, the money-laundering charges include nine counts of receiving illegal proceeds, five counts of using illegal proceeds and seven counts of transferring the proceeds to other entities.
All the offences allegedly occurred at AmIslamic Bank Bhd’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, here, between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014.
Early last month, Najib was charged with three counts of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA).
He also had four other earlier charges amended with regard to the RM42 million from SRC International found in his personal account.
The three deposits, amounting to RM27 million, RM5 million and RM10 million, were found to have been wired into his AmIslamic Bank account between Dec 26, 2014, and Feb 10, 2015.
Source: NST Online
