Najib unaware if Equanimity bought with 1MDB funds

Yasmin Ramlan Yasmin Ramlan Updated 5 years ago · Published on 7 Aug 2018 2:45PM · 12 Comments

Former prime minister Najib Razak says he does not know if 1MDB funds were used to buy The Equanimity, but tells the government to focus on paying off 1MDB's huge debt to IPIC. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 7, 2018.

FORMER prime minister Najib Razak said he did not know that funds from the debt-ridden and state-owned 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) were used to buy the superyacht, the Equanimity.

Najib said the government should now remain focused on finding ways to repay the huge debt still owed to International Petroleum Investment Corporation (IPIC), instead of trying to sell the yacht off to the highest bidder.

The former finance minister said this was because the Equanimity would have surely depreciated in value, and would surely not be enough to offset the IPIC debt.

He also said that he did not know who the owner of the luxury vessel was.

“We don’t know. It can be investigated, but what is important is repaying the debt with IPIC.

“We do not know, it’s subject to investigation. But what is important is the settlement with IPIC. That is the biggest sum. We have to find out who really owns the yacht,” the Pekan MP told reporters at Parliament’s lobby today.

Yesterday, finance minister Lim Guan Eng said the government intends to sell the Equinimity to the highest bidder to try and recoup the money allegedly siphoned from 1MDB to pay for the RM1 billion luxury yacht.

Najib said the government was being “populist” in focusing on the Equanimity, and not on clearing 1MDB’s debts.

“And that is worth much more than this Equanimity. But Equanimity is being used as, again, a populist move.

“But what is important is the overall settlement on the IPIC issue. You’re going to get much more in the settlement with UAE and IPIC as opposed to just making an open bidding for the Equanimity,” said Najib.

He reiterated that he had no knowledge whatsoever of the yacht which docked at Port Klang at noon today.

“I’ve no knowledge of it, I have not been on board. I do not know about it until it came out in the press.”

The 90m-long yacht was delivered to Malaysia by Indonesia police, and escorted by Malaysian marine police. – August 7, 2018.

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Comments

  • WTF!!!! Still have the audacity to tell the government to pay off IPIC debts created by him. He should be charged now and hang off to prevent anymore ear aches for the rakyat. Why iss the PH government pussy footing with this lanun .

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

    • Ya !!! Wtf

      Posted 5 years ago by Kim Beng Phar · Reply

  • Wtf ...... everything Idk ?

    Posted 5 years ago by Kim Beng Phar · Reply

  • DENY DENY DENY SO NO TRUTH WILL COME UP.

    Posted 5 years ago by CHEE Meng Ng · Reply

  • Chocolate in fridge eaten he knows and the EQUANIMITY 1 BILLION TAK TAHU.What a good joker.

    Posted 5 years ago by CHEE Meng Ng · Reply

  • sumer x tau
    ape yg ko tau

    Posted 5 years ago by Lan Lan · Reply

  • Kepala bapak hang semua tak tahu?

    Posted 5 years ago by Will Be Humble · Reply

  • It seems clear that Najib as PM went into uncharted waters when he also took over the Minister of Finance post, leading to Malaysia's present financial problems big time. Better if the posts are not held by the same person..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • Stands to reason he was unaware of all things Equanimity..

      Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Apa ranjiu dia pun tak tau.

    Ni Prime Minister ke atau Prime Cannot Remember?

    Posted 5 years ago by Chean Ang Heng · Reply

  • Its part of the process 1MDB should have initiated itself under Najib. He was supposed to have investigated if it belonged to 1MDB but decided no funds were missing. Patently not true. So its right and proper that the assets identified as having been acquired with siphoned off money should returned to 1MDB. The debt to IPIC wouldnt have been incurred if money had not been diverted.

    Posted 5 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • Everything u dont know, k ros cantik u tau ke?

    Posted 5 years ago by Mohamed Zaimir · Reply