The Pandan MP said in a statement that Felda chairman Shahrir Samad and deputy home minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed knew an individual named Florence Goh, who allegedly signed the lobbying contract on behalf of Godfrey Group.
He attached with his statement several photographs showing Shahrir or Nur Jazlan together with Goh at a number of events in Johor Bahru.
Rafizi also referred to reports that Goh was the president of an NGO, Care United Johor Bahru, and that Shahrir was the NGO’s adviser.
“I call upon Shahrir and Nur Jazlan to issue statements (on this matter) because Malaysians have the right to know what connection Goh has with the Umno leadership to the extent that she can assume to represent the government in dealing with a lobbyist in the United States.
“If she really mentioned the Malaysian government as stated in the denial issued by the prime minister’s office, then Nur Jazlan as deputy minister of home affairs should be the first person to direct that legal action be taken against Goh,” he said.
US news portal The Daily Beast reported that the company, The 45 Group owned by Healy Baumgardner-Nardone, who was a member of the Trump presidential campaign, had made a declaration of receiving RM1.07 million from a company with an address in Johor Bahru. It had also listed the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya.
The declaration was required under the Foreign Agents Registration Act in which those involved in lobbying American public servants must disclose details to the US Department of Justice (DoJ).
According to the official forms filed by Nardone, the fee payment was made on May 9.
The portal also reported that Malaysia now faces two issues in its relations with Washington: one involving allegations that Malaysia’s trade practices harmed US interests and the second concerning investigations by the DoJ relating to the 1MDB scandal.
Rafizi had previously questioned the need for Najib to lobby Trump and urged the prime minister to reveal the owner of Godfrey Group.
According to him, a search at the Companies Commission of Malaysia found that the company did not exist. Instead, there was a company with a similar name registered with the commission and owned by a 70-year-old Chinese man.
On May 26, Putrajaya denied hiring The 45 Group to lobby the US government on its behalf.
“Contrary to recent media reports and a registration statement, neither the Prime Minister’s Office or the government of Malaysia has instructed, appointed or contracted in any form with the Godfrey Group Ltd, The 45 Group or Healy Baumgardner-Nardone,” it said in a statement issued by Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad, Najib’s press secretary.
FMT is still trying to reach Shahrir and Nur Jazlan on Rafizi’s claim.
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