Following
the exclusive report by Malaysiakini yesterday that
top Malaysian politicians, their family members and well-heeled associates are
among those owning secretive offshore companies in Singapore and the British
Virgin Islands, I call on every member of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s outgoing
Cabinet Ministers to declare whether they or their family members own off-shore
companies.
From
files obtained by the Washington-based International Confederation of
Investigative Journalist (ICIJ) and examined by Malaysiakini, more than 1,500
Malaysians own offshore companies in Singapore as well as the British Virgin
Islands (BVI).
Politicians
and political operatives who own offshore companies include former prime
minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s son Mirzan, Federal Territories and Urban
Well-being Minister Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin and Michael Chia, the alleged
‘bagman’ for Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.
In
an “exclusive” yesterday, Malaysiakini reported:
“The
ICIJ list comprises a curious mix of Forbes-listed tycoons, parliamentarians,
retired politicians, civil servants and their spouses, members of royal
families, famous and infamous businesspeople, underworld kingpins and even
former beauty queens.
“While some of the offshore companies carry out legitimate transactions, others are likely to be part of the RM871.4 billion estimated by Washington-based financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI) to have been lost through illicit outflows over a 10-year period.
“While some of the offshore companies carry out legitimate transactions, others are likely to be part of the RM871.4 billion estimated by Washington-based financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI) to have been lost through illicit outflows over a 10-year period.
“In
2010 alone, GFI reported that close to RM200 billion of dirty money was
siphoned out of Malaysia, putting the country second only to Asian economic
powerhouse China in global capital flight.”
Najib
has been failing test after test as to whether he is serious and sincere in
elevating accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance as major
goals of his administration.
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