PKR’s Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is alleged to have offered former Petro Saudi employee Xavier Justo US$2 million (RM8.7 million) in government contracts in exchange for information, the New Straits Times (NST) reported.
He allegedly stole from his employer regarding state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the daily reported.
According to the NST, Justo in his written confession said Rewcastle-Brown contacted him in September 2014 to relay Nurul Izzah’s offer but he declined because he “saw no purpose for it”.
Nurul Izzah denied this in a statement this afternoon.
"For the record, I categorically deny that I have ever offered US$2 million to Justo in future government contracts when the opposition came into power. I have never met him before. [...]
" The real question is not about Justo’s so-called stolen documents.
"It is about what those documents, together with reports by Wall Street Journal, Sarawak Report and The Edge say about the grand corruption, money laundering, embezzlement and electoral bribery allegations surrounding 1MDB," she said.
This is the the Umno-linked daily's second instalment on the matter, yesterday reporting that Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewscastle-Brown acted as Justo’s broker.
Rewcastle-Brown yesterday said it is true she " sounded out " various quarters on Justo’s offer but denied taking any payment for it.
Justo is under arrest in Thailand, after leaking the information to business publication The Edge which had promised but failed to pay him for the information.
The data included e-mail communications between PetroSaudi and 1MDB, which among others revealed how funds moved from 1MDB to a firm controlled by businessman and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s family friend Jho Low.
Pua: I'm not involved in transactions
Justo said Rewcastle-Brown contacted him again in February 2015 to say that she and Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua (photo) had arranged the sale of the stolen data to the now suspended business publication The Edge, the NST reported.
When contacted by Malaysiakini on the matter, Pua said he introduced Rewcastle-Brown to The Edge top guns, but was not privy to the leaks or any transactions.
The NST said Pua did not respond to its questions.
Justo said he handed over the data to The Edge media group Tong Kooi Ong at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore and the payment of US$2 million (RM8.7 million) was to be made through Rewcastle-Brown, it reported.
"It would involve Tong paying her US$2 million in the United Kingdom, and her paying me a monthly amount disguised as a consultancy fee via the Sarawak Report, which she owns," Justo is quoted as saying.
"She proposed that I open a newsdesk for the Southeast Asia region for which she would pay me US$350,000 followed by another US$1.25 million later."
Yesterday, Tong denied claims of conspiracy to topple Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
Related reports
1MDB insists former adviser was not ignored
Umno members will back 'red shirts' for Malay dignity
1MDB regrets Nazir's 'speculation' about adviser
Tony Pua: I wasn’t in on Justo transactions
MP: If 1MDB snubs own adviser, what about ordinary Malaysians?
Political funding committee cannot probe 1MDB, reiterates Low
Me promising Justo contracts? It’s a lie, says Nurul Izzah
