I Don't Know About Tajudin's Allegation, Says Najib
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Thursday he did not know about Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli's allegation that he (Tajuddin) was asked to buy MAS shares by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin in 1994. However, the deputy prime minister said that the Cabinet had been informed of the buy-back of the MAS shares by the government in 2000.
Former corporate leader Tajuddin made the allegation in his RM13.46 million counter-suit filed last Thursday against the RM589 million suit by Danaharta over his acquisition of 32 per cent of Malaysia Airlines Bhd's in 1994 and selling them back to the government for RM1.8 billion or RM8 a share in 2000. According to Danaharta, Tajudin sold the shares at a premium of RM4.32 or 117 per cent over the market price of RM3.68 per share.
In his affidavit published in the media today, Tajudin claimed that he was directed to buy the MAS shares to help Bank Negara recover from foreign exchange losses in 1994. He further claimed that the transaction was a national service but was disguised as an arms-length commercial deal because the government wanted it that way to appease the investment community and the public. Tajudin also claimed that Dr Mahathir and Daim repeatedly assured him that he would not suffer any losses or be held liable for anything arising from his purchase of the MAS shares.
Asked to comment on the allegations at a news conference, Najib said: "I don't know. I wasn't aware. I can't comment on what was said (by Tajudin)." He said he was not aware of what happened in 1994 but the buy-back of the MAS shares was discussed in the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said Daim had misled the Dewan Rakyat and the country on March 21 2001 when he made several false claims regarding the purchase of the MAS shares by the government. Daim in reply to questions in the Dewan Rakyat then had said that Tajudin was not given any special consideration when the government bought the shares from Naluri and that the acquisition was in the national interest. Lim also claimed that Daim had given the impression that Tajudin had acted properly when he wanted to the sell the shares at RM15 each and that foreign investors were interested to buy at that price. Lim urged the government to set up a royal commission to probe the matter.-- BERNAMA
**** Where all this is going to lead to I really don't know. There are many people in this country who are jumping for joy at all the 'juicy bits' of information coming out little by little. I wonder if it is actually a good thing for the country to go through this public linen washing. At the end of the day I hope it is not our economy or our future that will be affected by what is transpiring now. How much investor confidence has been rocked thus far cannot be easily estimated. Let not a situation arise where, whether Pak Lah wins or Dr M wins, we end up losers.
Former corporate leader Tajuddin made the allegation in his RM13.46 million counter-suit filed last Thursday against the RM589 million suit by Danaharta over his acquisition of 32 per cent of Malaysia Airlines Bhd's in 1994 and selling them back to the government for RM1.8 billion or RM8 a share in 2000. According to Danaharta, Tajudin sold the shares at a premium of RM4.32 or 117 per cent over the market price of RM3.68 per share.
In his affidavit published in the media today, Tajudin claimed that he was directed to buy the MAS shares to help Bank Negara recover from foreign exchange losses in 1994. He further claimed that the transaction was a national service but was disguised as an arms-length commercial deal because the government wanted it that way to appease the investment community and the public. Tajudin also claimed that Dr Mahathir and Daim repeatedly assured him that he would not suffer any losses or be held liable for anything arising from his purchase of the MAS shares.
Asked to comment on the allegations at a news conference, Najib said: "I don't know. I wasn't aware. I can't comment on what was said (by Tajudin)." He said he was not aware of what happened in 1994 but the buy-back of the MAS shares was discussed in the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said Daim had misled the Dewan Rakyat and the country on March 21 2001 when he made several false claims regarding the purchase of the MAS shares by the government. Daim in reply to questions in the Dewan Rakyat then had said that Tajudin was not given any special consideration when the government bought the shares from Naluri and that the acquisition was in the national interest. Lim also claimed that Daim had given the impression that Tajudin had acted properly when he wanted to the sell the shares at RM15 each and that foreign investors were interested to buy at that price. Lim urged the government to set up a royal commission to probe the matter.-- BERNAMA
**** Where all this is going to lead to I really don't know. There are many people in this country who are jumping for joy at all the 'juicy bits' of information coming out little by little. I wonder if it is actually a good thing for the country to go through this public linen washing. At the end of the day I hope it is not our economy or our future that will be affected by what is transpiring now. How much investor confidence has been rocked thus far cannot be easily estimated. Let not a situation arise where, whether Pak Lah wins or Dr M wins, we end up losers.
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/06/2006 07:56:00 PM
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