Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's description of the opposition as an "ali baba" partnership has led to veteran opposition figure Lim Kit Siang using the same term to describe the premier's relationship with businessman Jho Low.

Lim said Najib "could not be more wrong" when using the slur against the opposition who are united in their efforts to "save Malaysia" from becoming a global kleptocracy.

"It is Najib himself who is responsible for creating the biggest and most sinister 'ali baba' partnership in Malaysia - the 'Najib-Jho Low' ali baba axis which catapulted Malaysia to a global kleptocracy.

"(This involved) the largest world-wide financial scandal in recent times, the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB kleptocratic money-laundering scandal," said Lim in a statement today.

Lim reminded Najib that Low, a known associate of the premier's family, is being sought by various jurisdictions.

According to the Public Accounts Committee investigations into 1MDB, Low played a role in the formation of the state investment firm as a special adviser to 1MDB's predecessor Terengganu Investment Authority.

He is also mentioned in the US State of Department lawsuit to recover more than US$1 billion in assets believed purchased using funds siphoned from 1MDB.

Meeting in China?

Meanwhile, Lim urge Najib to state tell Parliament when the Dewan Rakyat reconvenes on Tuesday whether the latter had met Low during the recent state visit to China in November last year.

The MP said he was informed Najib had a "long and extended secret meeting" with Low during his visit to China last year.

The term "ali baba" is commonly used to describe a partnership between a Malay and ethnic Chinese persons, where the former uses his bumiputera status to assist the latter's business goals in return for other benefits.

Lim was responding to Najib's speech in Sabah yesterday that Pakatan Harapan had agreed on making Lim the deputy prime minister although opposition coalition had yet to decide on their candidate for premiership.

Najib also claimed that Lim will have the authority to decide on will be prime minister should Harapan win the next general election.

The premier said that this was an "ali baba" partnership, unlike BN which sought the consensus of all its coalition partners.

Lim said Najib's description of Harapan was the result of him believing the "fevered imaginations" of his propaganda handlers.

"If Najib could believe in such out-of-the-world nonsense, what else won't the prime minister believe?

"I am wondering whether Najib should see a psychiatrist," he added.