Cover image via Fotowarung
Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who according to rumours that the Bank Negara Malaysia Governor has been under pressure to resign due to her and BNM's part in the special task force investigating the alleged RM2.6 billion money trail linked to 1MDB and PM Najib, finally broke her silence today, dismissing all speculations about her resignation
The first woman Governer of Malaysia's Central Bank told reporters she intends to see out her 5-year term, which ends in April 2016
Speaking at a press briefing at the BNM Headquarters in KL today, 13 August, Zeti said: "I certainly will remain in office until my term ends. It's a five-year term and my term ends in April next year."
Rumours about her impending resignation surfaced right after former Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was abruptly replaced on 28 July, months before his term was supposed to end this year.
On rumours that she had been taken ill, Zeti said: "My heart is very strong and my doctors say my arteries are clear. I only had a cough before my trip to the United States. When the rumours came out, I was giving a luncheon address. I have taken no medication," she quipped.
The Asia crisis veteran, who would have served BNM and Malaysia for 35 years by 2016, also said she won't be staying in her position if her term was extended, saying that she already had other plans
Zeti also warned that she will seek out and sue those spreading rumours about her and BNM over issues surrounding 1MDB. However, when asked about the RM2.6 billion money that was deposited into Prime Minister Najib's personal bank accounts, she said that she could only speak within the confines of the law.
Meanwhile, at the same function, she announced that Malaysia's economy expanded by 4.9 percent in the second quarter of 2015
On the need to peg the ringgit, which has fallen 12.32 percent in 2015, making it one of the worst performing Asian currencies, Zeti said there's no need. "We've moved on from capital controls."
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