Zeti pula ditunjuk jalan keluar!

Zeti should have quit before WSJ claims, says Zaid

Navina Vivekanandan

 | July 15, 2015

The former law minister feels that the governor has jeopardised her reputation as a finance regulator internationally.

KUALA LUMPUR: Zaid Ibrahim has expressed his disappointment that Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz did not resign before the damaging allegations by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) involving the prime minister and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) surfaced.

“She (Zeti) should have said ‘thank you very much, I don’t want to be part of this’. But she is a part of this (WSJ allegation),” said Zaid in an exclusive interview with FMT today.

The former law minister felt that the highly respected governor has now jeopardised her reputation as a finance regulator internationally.

“Why did she get embroiled in this? I’m sure she knew about this.”

A total of RM2.6 billion in 1MDB-linked funds was alleged to have been deposited into the personal bank accounts of Prime Minister Najib Razak ahead of the 13th General Elections according to the WSJ report.

The movement of those funds particularly since it involved billions of ringgit, should have caught the attention of BNM.

All investments exceeding RM50 million per calendar year and any offshore borrowings exceeding RM100 million by resident entities, requires the central bank’s approval.

When asked for his thoughts regarding the investigations into the WSJ allegations, Zaid scoffed at it, saying he was convinced nothing would come out of it.

“It is a waste of time, I feel sorry for Zeti out of the four (those heading the special task force). Zeti’s got a good name internationally.”

A special task force has been set up to look into the WSJ allegations, and apart from Zeti, include the Attorney-General; Inspector-General of Police and the head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).