Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak speaks to reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex September 20, 2018. — Picture by Hari Anggara

PETALING JAYA, Oct 26 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has refuted Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah’s claim that the Saudi government has denied any link to the so-called ‘donation’ of RM2.6 billion that ended up in the former prime minister’s personal bank account.

Reacting to Saifuddin’s assertion that the Saudi denial was conveyed to him by the kingdom’s Foreign Minister Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Najib, in a Facebook post tonight, said Adel had himself confirmed that the funds were from his country.

“Although Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir had previously confirmed twice with his own mouth that Saudi Arabia had donated the money to me, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah claimed today that Adel had told him the money that is purported to be RM2.6 billion has no connection with the Saudi government,” Najib wrote.

The former prime minister said he had last month explained where the money came from through a Facebook post with documents attached that proved who the donors were.

“In the post, I also furnished documentary evidence from banks to prove that most of the funds that were channelled into my bank accounts were direct from the Saudi Finance Minister and the princes of Saudi Arabia,” he said.

“Almost all of the money from the said RM2.6 billion was returned to the source four months after it was received, I have been charged with receiving those funds and also charged because I returned them.”

The Saudi foreign minister arrived on Wednesday for an official three-day visit. Yesterday, he met with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed at Perdana Putra.

Saifuddin told reporters today that he met Adel at Wisma Putra, where the latter had conveyed his government’s stand.

“He said it did not have anything to do with the Saudi Arabian government,” Saifuddin said, referring to the RM2.6 billion.

Najib has claimed trial to 38 counts of power abuse and graft that were allegedly committed when he was prime minister.