YOURSAY | ‘This is akin to selling off the family's jewels to settle the father's gambling debts.’

Report: Chinese firms came to 1MDB's rescue

Victor Johan: Currently, the Malaysian government officials, led and controlled by their kleptocratic Prime Minister Najib Razak, declined to identify the buyers in the real estate transactions that raised the money to pay the 1MDB debts.

One related and concerned financial executive, while declining to elaborate further, only said that the 1MDB real estate entities were acquired by “concerns ultimately controlled by Chinese state-owned enterprises”.

The rakyat must ensure the Umno-led BN ceases to rule the federal government in the coming GE14.

Clever Voter: Indeed, selling public assets to pay off money taken elsewhere is morally wrong. The people who put these people into power, allowing them a free hand on government resources, ought to learn a bitter lesson.

Perhaps one should know what could be done with the money if it was used for social and economic purposes.

We don't blame the buyers but they need to know that by investing here, they are indirectly supporting an abuse of power. It’s time for real change, but will many of us learn?

Anonymous 2469701494820788: Malaysians are a laughing stock for paying billions of ringgit twice - to a defunct company, Aabar BVI (British Virgin Islands), as well as IPIC (International Petroleum Investment Company).

We, the rakyat, are the real losers. Now, we know why GST (goods and services tax) was implemented.

SusahKes: So now, what happened to the previous claims by 1MDB that it did not owe IPIC any money at all? And that it was always under the impression that Aabar BVI was owned by IPIC’s Abrar?

What about the auditor who signed off the audit report of the accounts that stated as such? Oops, I forgot; this is Bolehland, the land of "I help you, you help me".

Pretzel Dog: 1MDB’s rationalisation programme – this is akin to selling off the family's jewels to settle the father's gambling debts. The father's winnings are left untouched but what remains of the family heirloom is zilch.

Anonymous: Where did all the money in 1MDB go after they took massive loans after the massive revaluation of the land that they bought from the government for a song?

That should be the question to be asked and proper accountability should be in order to restore confidence in the government after the Department of Justice (DOJ) in US described 1MDB as kleptocracy at its worst and regulatory authorities in Singapore and Switzerland closed banks and prosecuted people associated with 1MDB for money laundering.

Anonymous 2460391489930458: The 1MDB business model is essentially a scam and everyone knows it. The company doesn't create any real value for its investor (the government).

The government forms a company (1MDB) where it is the sole investor, so effectively the "company" and the "government" are one and the same.

So effectively, the government buys real estate from itself at dirt-cheap prices and sells it at sky-high prices to others. So where did the difference go? Ask Najib.

Hearty Malaysian: Didn't Najib once asked bitterly what else the Chinese Malaysians want after GE13?

Perhaps he may now ask what else can he sell to China apart from the 1MDB assets. We, the Chinese Malaysians, are not proud to lose our lands and assets to foreigners, regardless of who the buying country is.

Najib, it is a shame to sell national assets to pay off the 1MDB debts. It should not have happened in the first place.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Yes, when will the cookie crumble? Chips and pieces are falling off 1MDB as it sells Malaysia’s assets to foreigners to finance the gambling and decadent habits of a few.

By the time the people realise that the nation had been sold for a song, we will be speaking Mandarin.

Citizen: Where can I buy the red T-shirt with the words "All I want for Christmas is a new prime minister"? It's for my grandson.

MOF is not beholden to anybody, says Johari on 1MDB debt settlement

NNFC: The MOF (Ministry of Finance) has made payments to IPIC without even divulging the source of funding and the actual quantum.

It has also failed to divulge the liabilities accrued from the 1MDB debacle. Last but not least, it has failed to call for a transparent, independent and thorough investigation on 1MDB.

Now, Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani, tell me again that MOF is not beholden to anybody!

SusahKes: Isn’t it pitiful watching how they continue to try and cover up that big hole of a financial bomb known as 1MDB?

Try as they might, the only thing that their excuses achieve is to leave a nauseating stink that permeates the air a lot longer than a mixture of tempoyak (fermented durian) and skunk’s piss.

And of course, when theirs backs are against the wall, they conjure up that tried and tested answer - “I don’t know. Ask that other fella”.

Slumdog: Johari is the second finance minister and he is not aware that Chinese firms helped 1MDB to settle its debts to the IPIC by acquiring the latter's assets?

So why is he holding the position as the second finance minister when he supposedly does not know what is going on in his own ministry?

When caught between a rock and a hard place, this is the usual “play dumb” excuse or is it because Johari does not want to be caught lying for MO1 (Malaysian Official 1)?

Anonymous 2436471476414726: This is the way of Umno/BN leaders. When they know they have done something wrong or are unable to come out with another lie, they will try to wriggle their way out by pleading ignorance.

When they think they are in the right, they can write a lengthy letter in reply. When Johari said the government is not beholden to anyone, he is again telling another lie.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.