Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah speaks to Malay Mail Online in Kuala Lumpur on October 20, 2015. ― Picture by Saw Siow Feng

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 ― Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said he left Umno after almost three decades to join PKR, when the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the RM2.6 billion “donation” issues left him at a loss for words on how to defend the government.

The former Umno supreme council member said he gave Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak “the benefit of the doubt” over the 1MDB controversy as investigations into the state investment firm were still going on, but he couldn’t remain in Umno after the “sacking and removal” day, which saw Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail removed as deputy prime minister and Attorney-General on July 28.

“By doing those sacking and removal and transferring of people in a single day, I see a transgression or intervention into the whole investigation process,” Saifuddin told Malay Mail Online in an interview.

“My way of saying it after these two things is that ― you see I'm a debater. So I believe in argumentation. But after these two incidences, I'm lost ― I have lost all argumentation,” said the former deputy higher education minister, referring to the 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion issues.

“I don't know how to defend the government anymore. I said, I shouldn't be here anymore,” Saifuddin added.

1MDB critic Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal was also dropped in the July 28 Cabinet reshuffle, while four members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), including the chairman, were appointed to government, causing the parliamentary committee’s 1MDB investigation to be temporarily suspended.

Two Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) directors were also transferred to the Prime Minister’s Department shortly after, but the transfer orders were quickly cancelled. Special Branch deputy director Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador was transferred too last August to the Prime Minister’s Department.

Saifuddin, who joined Umno in 1986 and defected 29 years later to PKR last week, said he considered as “corruption” the RM2.6 billion deposit into Najib’s personal accounts that the MACC had termed as a “donation” from the Middle East.

“When your deputy didn't know about the funding of the party, I don't think that is okay,” said Saifuddin, referring to Muhyiddin, who is still Umno deputy president.

“The fact that many Umno leaders think it is okay, that makes me feel it is even more not okay,” he added.