Datuk Seri Nazir Razak says 1MDB’s senior advisor’s resignation sends a negative signal to other corporations in the government’s stable. ― File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 ― The resignation of a 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) senior advisor ostensibly over lack of access to information sends a negative signal to other corporations in the government’s stable, said Datuk Seri Nazir Razak today.

Nazir, who is also the brother to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, also noted that Tan Sri Abdul Samad Alias faced the purported obstacles to details regarding the state-owned firm despite the initial “fanfare” over his recent appointment.

“Respected, honest professional appointed by the Govt and welcomed by the Chairman with fanfare.

“But denied access to information by management. If this is true and tolerated, what message does it send to other GLC's / agencies?” he wrote on photo sharing service Instagram as a caption to a news report on Abdul Samad’s resignation.

The CIMB Group chairman had previously used Instagram to take subtle jabs at current issues including the 1MDB controversy and the abrupt transfers of Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) officers in the midst of their investigation into the state-owned investment firm.

Abdul Samad revealed yesterday that his resignation from the 1MDB advisory board was prompted by his rejected requests to be briefed on the state investment firm’s finances.

A former president of both the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Abdul Samad had been picked to be part of 1MDB’s board of advisors in January.

“I requested for a briefing on the company’s profit and losses. I waited for six months but there were no briefings. I quit after that,” he was quoted by news portal The Malaysian Insider as saying yesterday.

Another news portal Malaysiakini reported Abdul Samad saying he submitted his resignation letter on July 29.

1MDB had previously been implicated in a Wall Street Journal report on the deposit of RM2.6 billion into the prime minister’s accounts, but the sum was later declared to be a donation from the Middle East.

A multi-agency special task force comprising government officials from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia and the police had been set up to investigate irregularities with the firm, but was disbanded in late July following the abrupt removal of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as Attorney-General.

Currently, only the Auditor-General and Public Accounts Committee are still probing the company, although the bipartisan parliamentary panel’s inquiry has been suspended pending the appointments of new members.