THE police reports on the allegation that Prime Minister Najib Razak paid lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah RM9.5 million, were based on claims published by Sarawak Report and were “hearsay”, the inspector-general of police said today.

Khalid Abu Bakar was responding to a question if police had called up prominent Umno lawyer Shafee after numerous reports were lodged on based on the Sarawak Report article published on May 31.

However, Khalid said the reports received thus far were “hearsay”.

He also took aim at Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, saying she had to come here to prove her allegations.

“I’ve already said that if you (Rewcastle-Brown) want to prove all your allegations, come forward and produce whatever documents you have to show that your accusations are correct.

“If not, it remains hearsay,” he added.

In an email interview with The Malaysian Insight, Rewcastle-Brown said all the evidence she has published are known to the task force which was set up previously to investigate state-investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd and the RM2.6 billion donation in the prime minister’s personal bank accounts.

“All the evidence I have obtained has already been put before the task force, of which the IGP was himself one of the four joint leaders and that he already had direct access to the entire body of information from its original sources, thereby making it unlikely that I can perform any additional useful role in appraising him of the facts.

“I have merely made certain pieces of the information public, which were previously not made public,” she had told The Malaysian Insight.

Khalid reiterated his call today for Rewcastle-Brown to come here to prove her allegation, but added she would not be guaranteed a safe passage upon her arrival in Malaysia and return to London.

“I will not guarantee her a safe passage. If she wants to come, she comes and proves whatever accusations that she made.

“If not, she will keep on making all sorts of noise and allegations that are baseless,” Khalid said.

In an article posted on whistle-blower site Sarawak Report on May 31, it was alleged that Shafee had received RM9.5 million in two tranches that were paid directly from Prime Minister Najib Razak’s personal bank account.

Sarawak Report said it had seen documents from investigators alleging Najib paid Shafee the money using funds he received from state-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of scandal-hit 1MDB.

It also alleged that Shafee was paid RM4.3 million in Septed 2013 and RM5.2 million in February 2014, the second payment being made two weeks before the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal of former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on a charge of sodomy. – June 14, 2017.