Najib Abdul Razak today faced renewed calls to go on leave after The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) released bank documents to back up its claim that almost US$700 million in state funds was deposited into the prime minister's private accounts with AmBank.
"The WSJ has just published a series of documents which purportedly show the inflow of billions of ringgit into accounts linked to the prime minister, as alleged recently.
"These documents, if true, are extremely disturbing and cast a dark shadow on Najib’s integrity as well as that of our country’s governance and banking system.
"Najib must immediately take leave of absence in order for a thorough, transparent and credible investigation to be carried," PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad ( photo ) said in a statement today.
Nik Nazmi said as more developments got under way, justice must not only be done but also seen to be done.
Yesterday, a special task force investigating the claims against Najib froze six bank accounts.
The special task force made no mention of whose accounts they were but a highly-placed source familiar with the investigation told Malaysiakini that three of the six bank accounts belonged to Najib.
The freezing of the accounts followed four days of investigation by Bank Negara, the police, the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Calls to reopen a murder case
There have also been calls to reopen the murder case of AmBank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi to ensure that it is not related to this scandal.
Hussain ( photo ) was killed on July 29, 2013, four months after the first transaction was purportedly made into Najib's accounts at AmBank.
"I repeat the call that has already been made to the prime minister and his defenders to clarify the issues that have been raised as well as to clear his name.
"At the same time, the authorities must also conduct an independent and thorough investigation, through the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry, into this matter," Nik Nazmi said.
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