Seized items were 'gifts', says Najib of RM1.1 billion haul

Updated 7 years ago · Published on 27 Jun 2018 8:31PM · 15 Comments

Former prime minister Najib Razak says the items and cash with an estimated value of RM1.1 billion were mostly gifts and there is nothing wrong with receiving gifts. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, June 27, 2018.

NAJIB Razak has maintained that the over RM1 billion in seized items, including hordes of jewellery, handbags and other items, were mostly “gifts”, further claiming that their valuation was not as high as authorities have stated.

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, the former prime minister saw no ethical issue for someone in his position to accept valuable gifts.

“If the gifts are given to you by other heads of state, like on occasions like your birthday and not expecting anything in return, it is not illegal. (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) said on record he received 40 horses from his friends. I am sure there are other gifts he received as well throughout his career,” Najib said.

He also pointed to former US president Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle, receiving millions from the late Saudi ruler King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Saud.

“And when King Salman visited Indonesia recently, he also gave millions worth of gifts. So some of these monarchs in certain countries, it’s part of their culture to give costly items.

“For example, items given to me by these monarchs, I have not used them. I have kept them because I don’t use very expensive things as my friends know. I don’t use any watches that contain valuable stones,” he said.

Najib admitted he was particularly close to the late king Abdullah who had bestowed him with Saudi Arabia’s highest honour normally reserved for the nation’s closest allies, which include former Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysiakini reported.

He maintained that the valuation of the items was not as reported by the police.

“We need to know the dates of the gifts, like jewellery items,” he said in an interview at the Malaysiakini’s office in Petaling Jaya this afternoon.

“As you know, prices of stones acquired or gifted 20 years ago are much less than they were paid because the price of stones have increased significantly, so it depends on what valuation and when the valuation was made,” he said.

“Valuation can tend to differ. So let us not get too excited about it. Let us look at the items, every single item, and we hope to have a chance to examine these items. And (then) we can come to a conclusion on the source of the items and get an explanation on the items seized by the police,” he added.

Former prime minister Najib Razak says there is nothing wrong in receiving gifts and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had received gifts as well during his first tenure. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, June 27, 2018.

Najib said Dr Mahathir had also received gifts during the latter’s first stretch in office.

“But what I do know is that over the years as head of the government, we have been gifted with a lot of items by foreign leaders as well as personal friends and I do know that under the law it is not illegal to receive gifts. These gifts were accumulated over decades.”

“For example, (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) admitted to receiving 40 horses from his friends and foreign leaders, and he openly uses a lot of corporate jets from his friends, so it is not illegal to receive gifts,” he said.

Najib was prime minister for nine years from 2009 until he lost his office when the BN coalition he once led suffered a humiliating defeat at the May 9 polls.

Police have seized RM440 million worth of jewellery and RM116.7 million cash from residences linked to the former prime minister.

Including other items such as handbags and watches, the total value of items seized are estimated to be between RM900 million and RM1.1 billion, said Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Amar Singh Ishar Singh.

He told a press conference today that the jewellery valuation of RM440 million was only for the materials and did not factor in workmanship, design and other costs involved in sales, which would be 50% to 100% more.

Also seized were 567 handbags from 37 brands that included Hermes, Prada, Versace and Chanel, among others. One of them, under the brand Bijan, was custom-made and is not available on the market.

Malaysians have expressed disbelief and shock over the cash and value of the seized items. – June 27, 2018.

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Comments

  • As a matter of public interest it's ok to report this news, but no trial by media, as per TDM, that we must adhere to the law?..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Najib, how come almost all your so-called gifts (handbags, jewellery etc.) are for ladies. Pondan tendencies?

    Posted 7 years ago by Solomon Cheah · Reply

  • King Abdullah gave out Bijan and Hermes bags and women jewelry???? Najib uses this trick too often. He takes an instance of innocence, substance or even right and extrapolate it all over his many and incredible wrongs and excesses. He help one person and he claim he helps many people. He does one good program and he claims all his programs are good. Trump does the same thing, exaggeration..Wonder if we can get Alex Baldwin to immitate Najib..

    Posted 7 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Najib, you are lying through your teeth. You think the rakyat are stupid. The most people will give you expensive gifts may be up to ten...n that also hardly. Why yours came up to billions? Where in the world got PM receive gifts to such an amount? Even till now, you are living in denial. You are a delusional person

    Posted 7 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • For public knowledge, King Abdullah well known to be the most generous head of state in the world, gave Michelle Obama gifts worth US$1.3m which all given to National Archives. No other head of a country even come a mile close to King Abdullah in gift giving. Najib want us to believe there are many King Abdullahs and each of them gave him and his wife EVEN BIGGER than the Obamas?

    Posted 7 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Now Najib disputes the valuation. Does he also think the valuation of LGE's bungalow is too high?

    Posted 7 years ago by Kla sh · Reply

  • Reminds me of an episode of Yes Minister (Series 3, Episode 4 "The Moral Dimension"), about a gift from an Arab king to the minister.

    Posted 7 years ago by Raks Aksa · Reply

    • I am thinking he is using the same tactics to escape!

      Posted 7 years ago by Raks Aksa · Reply

  • Joke of the century

    Posted 7 years ago by Kevin Teh · Reply

  • Penipu, pembohong dan pencuri. Najib ini betul-betul 'Bapa Rasuah'

    Posted 7 years ago by John Nabu · Reply

  • All his wealth are either donations or gifts in the tune of billions, he do well to stfu

    Posted 7 years ago by New Malaysia · Reply

  • Najib - please do not insult Indonesia and its Officials. Please take note that all gifts from King Salman to any Indonesian Officers - were declared to KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission) and returned to the respective Institution (of the officers who received the gift). All gifts to USA President and his family members were returned to the USA Government. The president may purchase the gift at market rate. It is obvious Najib and wife took these gifts as bribery, no declaration to government and did not pay tax.

    Posted 7 years ago by Chris Ng · Reply

  • If they were indeed gifts, why did you have to hide them? Further, didn't those gifts belong to the country since they were given to you in your capacity as the PM? If you were not the PM would your 'firends' have given them to you & your wife?

    Posted 7 years ago by Conscience Moral · Reply

  • When in such trouble remember to use these two get-out-of-jail words ~ gift, donation.

    Posted 7 years ago by Henry Mancini Jr · Reply

  • Indeed Najib has been in public service for a long time but his claims of having a sterling track record is a little dubious. Since he was the undisputed authority on 1MDB, it doesn't make sense why he as the prime minister was not the least bit interested to know, much less debate DOJ's damning report in parliament on how 1MDB money was allegedly used to buy yachts, block buster movie, mansions and paintings.

    Posted 7 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply