PKR claims it has documentary evidence to show that the lavish ceremony was footed by the PM's Department.
Party strategic director Rafizi Ramli said he has receipts to show how RM409,767, which was the cost to hold a luxurious dinner event at a five-star hotel in central Kuala Lumpur, was billed to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The bill, for an event on June 13 last year, showed that RM18,792 was spent for 36 VIPs and RM309,975 for 862 attendees while handling cost amounted to RM81,000.
Among the dishes included in the menu were an array of lavish Wagyu beef, smoked salmon, lobster bisque and scallops.
The receipts, circulated to the media, indicated that the booking was made by one of Najib’s confidant Mohd Po’ad Jelani who was also implicated in another corruption allegation.
The marriage of Najib’s daughter was already mired in controversy. Pakatan leaders alleged that the lavish ceremonies, including a reception in Kazakhstan, was financed by taxpayers.
Some claimed his new son-in-law, Daniyar Nazarbayev, a Kazakhstan elite, is linked to the local mafia. Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor denied the allegations.
Najib must explain
Rafizi said Najib cannot evade the issue and must now explain as they have provided documented evidence to prove their allegation.
“This is not a trivial matter even though the amount is RM409,767 because it reflects their indolence starting from the PM down to his ministers,” he told reporters here.
The PKR leader said although Najib and his family had every right to an extravagant lifestyle, he had “no moral standing” to use public funds to finance it.
He also chided the prime minister for paying good money to consultants in an effort to build a moderate image for himself while at the same time living a luxurious lifestyle, contradicting his own call for voters to live within their means amid an economic slowdown.
The PKR leader then urged the government to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to look into the alleged financial abuses made by the Najib administration following a string of exposes made.
He cited the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) scandal, where a federal minister’s family is implicated in the abuse of more than RM70 million of taxpayers’ fund, as an example.
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family is accused of using part of the RM250 million given to NFCorp for a cattle breeding project to finance private expenses including the purchase of prime land and luxury properties both here and overseas.
There were also several bribery allegations against several ministers and deputy ministers.
Rafizi said a RCI was the only available option as the authorities have been slow to respond to the complaints.
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