1MALAYSIA Development Bhd uses its revenue to help the people, a fact that is ignored by critics of the state investor, said Prime Minister Najib Razak today.

“A portion of 1MDB’s profits is used for welfare programmes, but this is not mentioned (by the critics),” Najib was quoted as saying by Bernama.

He said notwithstanding such criticisms, including those from a certain former prime minister, 1MDB has sponsored 5,711 haj pilgrims in the last five years at a cost of RM57 million.

He said 1MDB’s haj sponsorship would continue under the current leadership, and urged those who wished to perform the pilgrimage to pray that the leadership remained in power.

“I hope those of you who will be performing the haj will pray for the country and for the current leadership to be maintained to ensure the continuation of this welfare programme.”

Najib said 1MDB revenue was also used to fund various initiatives, ranging from housing to education, to help the people.

These good deeds should not be ruined by those he said were “tidak boleh pakai sama sekali” (completely useless) individuals.

As such, Najib said, it was the duty of the imams and village heads to correct the misconceptions regarding 1MDB at grassroots level.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been arguably the most vocal critic of both Najib and 1MDB. Dr Mahathir has accused one of siphoning money from the other, among others.

However, Najib, who was 1MDB chairman, was absolved of all blame,  by the Attorney-General last year, even before the US Department of Justice filed its first action to seize assets it alleged were bought with 1MDB funds misappropriated by high-level officials of 1MDB and their associates.

Najib has called Dr Mahathir’s accusations a plot to oust him. – July 11, 2017.