How did RM2.5 million pop up, Rafizi questioned again as Invoke asset saga continues

PKR's Rafizi Ramli is now being quizzed on the origin of some RM2.5 million which he said was injected into Invoke Solutions, the non-profit, party-linked company under which he declared some RM17 million worth of shares as his own.

Bersatu's Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said the PKR leader's statement that he had invested RM2.5 million from his own savings into Invoke in 2016 was puzzling as there had been no such cash in his keep when he declared his wealth a year earlier.

Rafizi earlier said that apart from what he had earned, he was also paid some RM400,000 as compensation by Petronas, and had earned lucratively in sterling pounds when he worked in the UK. 

Checks of his 2015 asset declaration showed that none of these were included.

That asset declaration showed he had about RM1.3 million in the form of deposits in various accounts, including some RM644,000 in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), RM460,000 in Tabung Haji and RM212,000 in Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB).

His latest asset declaration, meanwhile, showed his cash deposits at RM1.18 million, including an increase in his EPF to RM1.1 million, and a decrease in Tabung Haji to RM12,000, while the amount for ASB was no longer listed.

Latiff asked where Rafizi had gotten RM2.5 million as the money was not there in 2015.

"What is the source of this money, and why was it not declared in the statutory declaration dated March 10, 2015?

"Rafizi often brags that he is a certified accountant. Let me tell him here, 'Rafizi, the numbers don't add up'," Latiff said in a statement.

This comes just days after Rafizi angrily dismissed questions surrounding his asset declaration, which saw his wealth mutiplying several times in just seven years. 

On Nov 9, annoyed at questions thrown at him during a press conference, Rafizi lashed out his critics and accused them of not understanding finance and the workings of a company.

He also mocked a journalist from MalaysiaNow for seeking clarification on his wealth, and claimed that those in the room would not understand his explanation.

"I don't think most of you guys understand any of it, either," he said in remarks that later drew criticism on social media, with many saying he had been "arrogant".

Rafizi, the PKR deputy president who is vying for the Pandan seat at the Nov 19 polls, came under scrutiny following his declaration of assets in which he listed RM16.7 million in shares from Invoke as part of a total of RM19.67 million in assets owned.

Latiff had taken Rafizi to task for listing the RM16.7 million worth of shares as his own, and reminded him that none of the staff at Invoke had been allocated shares despite a promise he made five years ago. Rafizi later acknowledged that his staff were not allocated the shares, and promised they would be rewarded once the company was listed.

Latiff today said that Rafizi's answers only led to more serious questions.

He called for the PKR leader to be investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 as well as the Statutory Declaration Act 1960.

"I call on the authorities to take this matter seriously as Invoke had sought and received a lot of support from the public, including in funds," he added.