Prince Sultan: RM2.6b given in support of Msia’s growth

KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia has never given money to causes that do not support a nation’s growth, said the kingdom’s prince, Sultan Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud today.

In responding to questions about his country’s RM2.6 billion donation to Malaysia a few years back, the prince said that Saudi Arabia had always supported the development of Muslim nations.

Prince Sultan, the son of King Salman, however declined to comment in depth on the issue but stressed that Saudi Arabia was always supportive of the economic development of other countries, just as Malaysia was of other countries.

“After the advent of discovering oil, we realised that we had a role to play in international relations,” he said, adding that the kingdom was the largest per-capita donor to the world.

He said the Saudi Arabia and Malaysia had always enjoyed an excellent relationship and that history showed the kingdom was always supportive of Malaysia.

The prince said this to reporters after signing a memorandum of understanding on behalf of Saudi Arabia with the Tourism Ministry today.Meanwhile, Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Aziz reiterated that there was nothing wrong with the prime minister having received the donation from Saudi Arabia

He said others, such as the Americans, had also contributed to the Opposition through various institutions.

“I’m a lawyer. I can tell you that there is no law that has been broken when any party, not just Saudi Arabia, give donations,” he said.

In January, Attorney-General Apandi Ali cleared Prime Minister Najib Razak of any offences pertaining to the RM2.6 billion “donation” and the RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd found in his personal bank accounts.

Apandi said he was satisfied with evidence from witnesses and supporting documents that the RM2.6 billion was a personal donation to the PM by the Saudi Royal family.

FMT