No proof to Najib's RM2.6b 'donation' claim (Updated)

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull said claims by former premier Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak that the sum of RM2.6 billion found in his personal account was a donation by a wealthy Arab prince is highly questionable.
Mohd Shukri said that MACC investigators undertaking the probe on the scandal and had left for the Middle East to meet and record a statement with the supposed "prince" were unconvinced the whopping sum was a donation.
"We were introduced to a man and was told that he was the royalty who donated the sum. The "prince" admitted he made the personal donation to Najib. However, when we asked him for proof or the documents to substantiate this, he could not produce any. Hence, it is questionable the amount is a donation. Let me reiterate that this Rm2.6 billion scandal is not fictitious, it exists and it is a true story. The case is just too big to protect, cannot protect. Who will want to give RM2.6 billion? If it is RM2.6 million it might still be believable but RM2.6 billion, there is nobody in the world who is generous enough to give away that sum" he said at a press conference here today.
Mohd Shukri said the probe will continue and investigators have completed gathering domestic evidence or the statement recording of local witnesses.
He said investigators will venture overseas to record the statements of foreign witnesses in the next phase of the probe before concluding the case.
"To date, we are yet to take even a single statement from overseas witnesses," he said.
However, he said this will require the go-ahead from the Attorney-General Chambers after it arranges for mutual legal assistance (MLA) with the countries investigators will travel to for the completion of the probe.
Mohd Shukri also clarified that there is no link between the case and the murder of deputy public prosecutor Datuk Kevin Morais as alleged by certain parties.
He said the 1MDB probe findings of the US Department of Justice was almost similar to that of the MACC.