Najib Keeps Taking "Sumpah Laknat" To Say That He Did Not Siphon RM42 Million From SRC
The former prime minister said that if he was lying, then he was prepared to accept divine punishment, but if these were lies planned by his political rivals, then they should be punished as well as those who colluded with them
By Sadho Ram — 22 Aug 2022, 12:34 PM — Updated over 2 years ago
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has — once again — taken a sumpah laknat to deny his involvement in misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB
The 63-year-old Pekan member of parliament (MP) took the oath used by Muslims to swear on the truth of their word at the Masjid Jamek mosque in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Sunday evening, 21 August.
Yesterday's sumpah laknat is Najib's fourth in less than three years denying his involvement in the SRC scandal, in which he has been found guilty of all seven charges he was charged with.
On 28 July 2020, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and fined him RM210 million for his crimes of corruption. He has since been appealing the case, which is now at its last leg at the Federal Court, where a five-member bench will deliver their judgement this Friday, 26 August.
While taking the religious oath in front of his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, his son Mohd Norashman, and UMNO's Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, Najib claimed that he did not know specifically, or otherwise, that the RM42 million came from SRC, whether directly or indirectly
"I, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, having fought for my justice on this earth, recite my oath. I have never, at any time, known about the RM42 million sum that came from SRC. I never agreed to establish SRC for the purpose of taking any funds for personal or filial use. I have never ordered any of the company's directors to misappropriate funds into my own bank account for any reason whatsoever," Najib said.
The former prime minister also claimed that he was never involved in a cabinet meeting for the purpose of approving government guarantees for Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) loans amounting to RM4 billion to SRC for him to acquire illegal gains amounting to RM42 million.
Najib added that if he was lying, then he was prepared to accept divine punishment, but if these were lies planned by his political rivals, then they should be punished as well as those who colluded with them
"If I lie on my oath, oh Allah, it is permissible for me to be cursed. On the other hand, if all these are fabricated by my political enemies, then I pray for a curse to befall them and all those in collusion with them."
Prior to this, Najib had taken three other sumpah laknat
The first one was on 20 December 2019 at the same Masjid Jamek to deny allegations that he was involved in the murder of Mongolian national Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa (also known as Altantuya Shaariibuu) in 2006.
In his second oath on 28 July 2020, Najib took the oath in front of the High Court judge in a bid to declare his innocence over the misappropriation of SRC International funds and abuse of power.
"I did not demand the RM42 million, nor was it offered to me. There is no witness to say so. [Recites sumpah laknat] That's all I'd like to say," he was reported as saying before being found guilty.
Najib took the third oath on 8 December last year to deny the abuse of power, breach of trust, and money laundering charges in the same SRC scandal. On the same day, the Court of Appeal upheld Najib's conviction.
