'Must I be with my grandchild 24/7?' Najib reveals why he met with Singaporean 'Popiah King' Sam Goi
PHOTO: Facebook/Zunar Cartoonist Fan Club
PUBLISHED ONDecember 13, 2021 10:07 AMByChing Shi JieWhen Malaysia's Court of Appeal granted a temporary release of Najib Razak's passport in October, it was so that he could travel to Singapore to visit his newborn grandson.
It turns out that the former Malaysian prime minister's itinerary also included visiting the 'Popiah King' Sam Goi.
Famed for his popiah skin business Tee Yih Jia, Goi is ranked 23rd in Forbes' 2021 Singapore's 50 Richest, and has a net worth of US$1.7 billion (S$2.3 billion).
In a Facebook post shared last Sunday (Dec 12), it showed two photographs of Najib posing together with a smiling Goi — one next to a Rolls-Royce and another decked in golfing attire.
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After facing backlash from netizens who questioned his purpose in meeting up with the Singaporean billionaire, Najib responded back on social media.
In a Facebook post, Najib wrote in Malay: "Is this also an issue? Must I be with my grandchild 24/7 during the six days I am in Singapore?"
Clarifying that the meeting with Goi was to discuss business, Najib added: "He was a fan of my economic and development policies when I was prime minister and yes, that Rolls Royce belongs to him.
"When we met, he asked a lot for my opinion on the direction of development and economy of the country because he wanted to invest more in Malaysia."
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In July last year, the High Court sentenced Najib to 12 years in prison and a $68.09 million fine, after he was found guilty of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering.
According to Malaysian media, Najib's trial involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad funds was adjourned on Monday (Dec 13) and will resume on Tuesday, after a coronavirus contact tracing mobile application flagged him for being both a casual contact with a possible Covid-19 infected person and a person under surveillance.