“We have two hazes, you know. One natural, man-made. The other one unnatural man-made.
“I see two issues only. You know what I mean. Come up with the reality. And I tell you this haze in the environment will go off sooner than expected,” she said during her special address at the Malaysian Legal and Corporate Conference 2015 in Kuala Lumpur today.
She did not clarify on what the ‘two issues’ were though she later said that ‘as Nazir said, the elephant in the room’ must be addressed.
CIMB Group chairperson Nazir Razak had used the term ‘elephant in the room’ when referring to a variety of political and socio-economic issues, most notably the 1MDB scandal.
However, Rafidah said that the country’s troubled economy was not triggered by the ‘two issues’ though it had certainly affected foreign investors’ perception of the nation.
On the statement by the Conference of Rulers two days ago asking for the 1MDB investigations to be resolved quickly, she said that it was an unprecedented statement.
“It’s sad that these issues have got to go right up to the Rulers. Never before (has this happened),” she said.
Now that even the Conference of Rulers has spoken up about the 1MDB issue, she said it was time to resolve these issues immediately.
“If the issue needs to be sorted out and resolved, let it be. So many people looking into the problems, but get it resolved.
“And if the matter needs certain actions beyond that, let it be. That’s a process we have in this country,” she said.
Najib, Ling a personal matter
But she warned to not let the issue drag on as it has already negatively affected the people in the country as well as outsiders.
“It (the 1MDB issue) will cast aspersions on Malaysia and Malaysian companies. And the perception of Malaysia would not be good when in fact we are okay,” she said.
She also warned against getting too caught up in finding individuals to blame.
“Please point the finger at the issues instead. The players are immaterial. If you keep pointing fingers at people, the real issues will be pushed into the background,” she said.
1MDB is the brainchild of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who has been assailed with criticisms for his role in the troubled state fund.
Rafidah declined to comment on the rising tension between Najib and former MCA president Ling Liong Sik (photo), saying that it was a personal matter between them.
“That is personal. I don’t want to campur tangan (interfere). I can do it, but what for?” she told reporters.
On Monday, Najib had issued a letter of demand to Ling seeking an apology over the latter’s statement that Najib had pocketed public funds.
Ling has refused to apologise and has said that he is willing to face being sued by Najib.
Geraldine Tong
Hornbill Unleashed 
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