FORMER prime minister Najib Razak sat down with Reuters for his first sit-down interview since  the 14th general election.

Reading some of the highlights, the wonderful words of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland came to mind.

On the 1MDB scandal:

“I didn’t benefit from 1MDB, because I believe that 1MDB was created to do something good for the country.”

“If I knew there was going to be a misappropriation of funds, if that was my knowledge, I would have acted.”

Carroll wrote:

“But it’s no use now,” thought poor Alice, “to pretend to be two people! Why, there’s hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!” (Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit-Hole)
 
On whether he blames 1MDB’s board for the fund’s troubles:

“No. I am saying as a general principle, if they are in the know that something is not right, then it is incumbent upon them to tell me… It is the fiduciary duty of the board and the management to do the right thing. I expect them to do what’s right and to follow the law.”

Carroll wrote:

“And what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?” (Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit-Hole)

On Malaysian financier Jho Low:

“We have no control over what he does. I cannot pass judgment. But there are certain things that he may or may not have done. But I am right to say that investigations should proceed and if anyone is found to be on the wrong side of the law, let the legal process take its course.”

“No, he was not working on my behalf. (For) all those items, he never invoked my name, but he did say he was acting for someone else.”

When asked who Low was acting for, Najib said: “You have to ask him that.”

Carroll wrote:

“How funny it’ll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downwards! The antipathies, I think” (Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit-Hole)

“It was all very well to say ‘Drink me,’ but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. ‘No, I’ll look first,’ she said, ‘and see whether it’s marked ‘poison’ or not’.” (Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit-Hole)
 
On jewellery, including a pink diamond set for his wife:

“I do not know exactly the source of funding for these things. All I know is when I asked my wife, she said that there was one instance it was supposed to be a gift for her. But she never received it.”

Carroll wrote:

“‘I wish I hadn’t cried so much!’ said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. ‘I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears! That will be a queer thing, to be sure! However, everything is queer to-day’.” (Chapter 2, The Pool of Tears)
 
On why he did not say much about 1MDB allegations earlier:

“All these things happened outside Malaysia. There are some international ramifications if I were to say, because I would name certain prominent individuals who might affect our diplomatic relations with them. It was on that basis I refrained from saying it.”

Carroll wrote:

“When I used to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!” (Chapter 4, The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill)
 
On whether his stepson used 1MDB funds to produce movies:

“...I would also like to place on record that Riza has done very well… the movies, the box office sales has reached beyond US$800 million. So it is not abusing concern. It is a profitable concern. But source of funding is subject to investigation. I think we will leave at that.”

Carroll wrote:

“‘Really, now you ask me,’ said Alice, very much confused, ‘I don’t think—’
‘Then you shouldn’t talk,’ said the Hatter.” (Chapter 7, A Mad Tea-Party)
 
On the RM681 million moved to Najib’s personal account in 2013:

“With the election coming, I did not want to get funding from companies because they would expect something in return eventually. If I have a source of funding, I could fund the election and I could also do a lot CSR (corporate social responsibility) work without being obligated to anyone. That was my real intention you see. And I assumed everything was fine.”

Carroll wrote:

“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “It’s very easy to take more than nothing.”  (Chapter 7, A Mad Tea-Party)
 
On the 14th general election:

“I saw part of it coming. I didn’t expect it to be this catastrophic. I though we could possibly lose some seats but I didn’t expect this sort of dramatic result, this calamitous result.

“It was a traumatic experience for us as you can imagine. For a party that has been established for more than 60 years in power. The history of Malaysia is basically the history of Umno and Barisan Nasional.

“They (opposition) came up with very scurrilous allegations to defame me and the government. Unfortunately after a period of time, it changed public opinion.”

Carroll wrote:

“Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if only I knew how to begin.” For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible. (Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit-Hole)
 
On Malaysia’s new prime minister:

“He knew BN, he knew the civil service. He knew everything about the system so he operated from within and from without, so that had a distinct advantage.

“He was quite clever in a way, that he summarised everything in very simple terms and repeated ad nauseum the same same thing over and over again. The other point that I felt in a way bad about it, is that we didn’t lose to a superior agenda.”

Carroll wrote:

“How do you like the Queen?” said the Cat in a low voice.
“Not at all,” said Alice: “she’s so extremely—” Just then she noticed that the Queen was close behind her, listening: so she went on “—likely to win, that it’s hardly worth while finishing the game.” (Chapter 8, The Queen’s Croquet-Ground)
 
On RM114 million in cash seized from him:

“I’m maintaining that they are genuine donations, because the raid happened just two days after the GE (general election). As president of the party, I had to prepare for the elections, and elections are very expensive affairs.

“Because donations are made in cash in election times. You don’t send cheques during election times, because people want cash. That is when monies are disbursed accordingly.”

Carroll wrote:

“Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court.”
Everybody looked at Alice.
“I’m not a mile high,” said Alice.
“You are,” said the King.
“Nearly two miles high,” added the Queen.
“Well, I sha’n’t go, at any rate,” said Alice; “besides, that’s not a regular rule: you invented it just now.”
“It’s the oldest rule in the book,” said the King.
“Then it ought to be Number One,” said Alice. (Chapter 12, Alice’s Evidence) – June 21, 2018.

* Puthan Perumal reads The Malaysian Insight

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.