Uproar over state's gift of $32m property to Najib

KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday called for a review of a pact with the government, after Parliament was told that former premier Najib Razak would likely receive from the state a plot of land and house said to be worth RM100 million (S$32.4 million).

"This shocking decision forces us to review all forms of understanding that exist to date," Datuk Seri Anwar said in a statement.

Najib, who has been convicted by a Malaysian court of corruption linked to state fund 1MDB, said in a Facebook posting that he was only claiming the property as is his right as a former prime minister.

The issue exploded in Parliament during the second reading of Budget 2022, when former premier Mahathir Mohamad interrupted a speech by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz to ask: "There is an additional item in the budget which we were not made aware of earlier.

"There is a RM100 million allocation for a gift to the sixth prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to build a residential property."

The New Straits Times quoted Tun Dr Mahathir as saying: "How can the government allocate such gifts to a former prime minister, to a convicted person? During my tenure, I had not even once asked for a house and I depended on my pension."

The opposition Pakatan Harapan alliance led by Mr Anwar in September signed an agreement to back the government of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Parliament, in return for reforms sought by the opposition. Datuk Seri Zafrul had told Parliament that the Cabinet has discussed Najib's request for a plot of land and house - the first confirmation that such a request had been made.

Najib, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison last year for corruption in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad case, is appealing against his conviction. He remains free, meanwhile, and also continues to be a Member of Parliament.

Responding to the controversy, Najib said in his Facebook post: "My office only asked to be given a residence after GE14 (14th general election in 2018) as allowed in the amended Act (Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act). The government gave me three plots of land to choose from, so I chose one.

"I did not ask for a RM100 million gift from the government, but housing is given to all former prime ministers."