BANGKOK: Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak has shrugged off the first formal vote of no-confidence against him in parliament, declaring he is taking steps to safe-guard his country's faltering economy.
But as opposition MPs try to entice disgruntled members of the ruling party to back the vote, Mr Najib refuses to explain how US$700 million allegedly turned up in his personal bank accounts in 2013, or what happened to the money.
The prime minister declared as he released his country's 2016 Budget that he would not be distracted "for there are serious consequences" for not seeing through his economic plan.
Wan Azizah Ismail, the wife of jailed opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim and leader of Malaysia's opposition coalition, filed the vote of no-confidence, saying it was aimed squarely at Mr Najib and not the government.
Mr Najib, the 62 year-old English-educated son of a former prime minister, has maintained close ties to successive Australian governments.
"One man is the cause of the crisis of confidence in the integrity of our country's sovereignty, independence and dignity," Dr Wan Azizah told reporters.
However Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has conceded the chances of deposing Mr Najib before elections due in 2018 are slim because MPs in the ruling United Malays National Organisation "are scared and they want to look after their safety".
Dr Mahathir has been waging a relentless campaign against Mr Najib who was his patron before criticising the government's economic policies and friendliness with the West in 2013.
Allegations have been swirling around Mr Najib since the Wall Street Journal reported in July that Malaysian investigators had traced the money into Mr Najib's accounts via agencies, banks and companies linked to the country's sovereign fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which is billions of dollars in debt.
Malaysia's anti-corruption agency has said the money was a donation from a mysterious Middle East donor.
Mr Najib has denied any wrongdoing or taking any money for personal gain.
He set-up up 1Malaysia Development Berhad in 2009 to spur economic growth and heads a committee that supervises the fund.
Investigations into Mr Najib's finances and the fund are underway in Malaysia, the US, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Switzerland.
Mr Najib has resisted growing pressure on his leadership within UMNO, removing several key ministers who he saw as supporting investigations into the fund.
Twenty four government MPs in the 222-seat parliament would need to break ranks if Dr Wan Azizah's motion is to succeed.
Analysts said it was unlikely she could get the numbers despite reports of secret meetings between opposition leaders and several senior ruling coalition MPs.
Parliament's speaker also has the right to block the motion being debated.
Meanwhile, police have opened three investigations into alleged defamatory statements by 90-year-old Dr Mahathir at a street rally in August.
Dr Mahathir denied breaking any laws but said he was concerned about the investigations "because of manipulation of justice, manipulation of the law".
With Reuters
But as opposition MPs try to entice disgruntled members of the ruling party to back the vote, Mr Najib refuses to explain how US$700 million allegedly turned up in his personal bank accounts in 2013, or what happened to the money.
The prime minister declared as he released his country's 2016 Budget that he would not be distracted "for there are serious consequences" for not seeing through his economic plan.
Wan Azizah Ismail, the wife of jailed opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim and leader of Malaysia's opposition coalition, filed the vote of no-confidence, saying it was aimed squarely at Mr Najib and not the government.
Mr Najib, the 62 year-old English-educated son of a former prime minister, has maintained close ties to successive Australian governments.
"One man is the cause of the crisis of confidence in the integrity of our country's sovereignty, independence and dignity," Dr Wan Azizah told reporters.
However Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has conceded the chances of deposing Mr Najib before elections due in 2018 are slim because MPs in the ruling United Malays National Organisation "are scared and they want to look after their safety".
Dr Mahathir has been waging a relentless campaign against Mr Najib who was his patron before criticising the government's economic policies and friendliness with the West in 2013.
Allegations have been swirling around Mr Najib since the Wall Street Journal reported in July that Malaysian investigators had traced the money into Mr Najib's accounts via agencies, banks and companies linked to the country's sovereign fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which is billions of dollars in debt.
Malaysia's anti-corruption agency has said the money was a donation from a mysterious Middle East donor.
Mr Najib has denied any wrongdoing or taking any money for personal gain.
He set-up up 1Malaysia Development Berhad in 2009 to spur economic growth and heads a committee that supervises the fund.
Investigations into Mr Najib's finances and the fund are underway in Malaysia, the US, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Switzerland.
Mr Najib has resisted growing pressure on his leadership within UMNO, removing several key ministers who he saw as supporting investigations into the fund.
Twenty four government MPs in the 222-seat parliament would need to break ranks if Dr Wan Azizah's motion is to succeed.
Analysts said it was unlikely she could get the numbers despite reports of secret meetings between opposition leaders and several senior ruling coalition MPs.
Parliament's speaker also has the right to block the motion being debated.
Meanwhile, police have opened three investigations into alleged defamatory statements by 90-year-old Dr Mahathir at a street rally in August.
Dr Mahathir denied breaking any laws but said he was concerned about the investigations "because of manipulation of justice, manipulation of the law".
With Reuters
