A DAY after Pakatan Harapan (PH) announced that it would go on a nationwide roadshow to explain to the people the US Department of Justice (DoJ) civil suits in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, PAS has urged Putrajaya to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the state investor.

PAS Information chief Nasrudin Hassan said his party and Gagasan Sejahtera (Gagasan) would send a memorandum on 1MDB to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

“The RCI must be established immediately to conduct an impartial investigation,” said Nasrudin, who is also Temerloh MP, in a statement today.

“PAS is consistent in asking that any claim of misappropriation in 1MDB must be investigated by a professional and transparent body.”

He said Putrajaya needed to show transparency to restore public confidence in agencies such as the MACC, police, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

“PAS has expressed its concerns over the erosion of the people’s confidence in these institutions.”

Gagagsan is made up of PAS and Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan), led by former cabinet minister Kadir Sheikh Fadzir. Gagasan is known as the third political bloc.

Putrajaya announced last week that it would set up an RCI to investigate Bank Negara Malaysia’s losses in foreign currency trading incurred 25 years ago during the time Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister.

Following the announcement, PH urged Putrajaya to also set up a RCI to investigate 1MDB.

Yesterday, opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail  announced that PH would go on a two-month roadshow to explain to the people the 1MDB scandal and DoJ civil suits.

The DoJ has filed three civil suits. In its latest filing on June 15, it noted that nearly US$30 million (RM128.7 million) were allegedly stolen from 1MDB to buy luxury properties, a yacht, jewellery, including a 22-carat rare pink diamond necklace worth US$27.3 million for the wife of “Malaysian Official 1” (MO1), and more in 2013.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan had previously confirmed that MO1 is Najib.

Dr Wan Azizah also urged all opposition parties, including PAS, to set aside their differences and work together to bring to justic those responsible for the 1MDB scandal

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man told The Malaysian Insight yesterday that his party would discuss Dr Wan Azizah’s invitation and would issue a statement soon.

However, Nasrudin today said PAS had its own policies and approaches to pursue.

“We are not tied to any party, nor are we fascinated with the ‘gerak tari’ (dance movements) of those who have their own agenda,” he said.

“On the 1MDB issue, PAS is taking a fundamental approach to the efforts of correcting the country’s governance, restoring the system of separation of powers and curbing money politics.”

He said PAS had firmly rejected the financial management of 1MDB that contradicted Islamic law, such as profiting from ‘riba’ (usury). – June 29, 2017.