It has been reported that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has given his assurance to some 1,000 Umno divisional leaders and selected representatives of NGOs yesterday that the controversy surrounding the state investment arm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) will be resolved by year-end.

This is indeed good news, but instead of broadcasting from the rooftops, the Prime Minister seems to be very coy about it, and Datuk Seri Najib Razak not only made it at a closed-door function but the report was not an announcement from the horse’s mouth but in the form of a leaked version by one or two persons who attended Najib’s special briefing on the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal – which would allow for a subsequent denial of its veracity.

Yesterday I asked why Najib, as the final approving authority for all 1MDB decisions, in law and in fact, was prepared to brief UMNO division leaders and selected NGO representatives but not in Parliament on the 1MDB controversy.

Malaysians are still waiting for Najib’s answer.

The question now is whether Najib had admitted to the UMNO divisional leaders and selected NGO representatives yesterday that he is the final approving authority for 1MDB deals, investments and transactions and as such, he cannot pass the buck of final responsibility for 1MDB scandal to the 1MDB Board or the management?

Furthermore, had Najib given a full report on all his 1MDB dealings in the past six years as the final approving authority for 1MDB deals, transactions and investments and how 1MDB could pile up RM42 billion debts in six years?

Had Najib also given a full report on the Save 1MDB Roadmap passed by the Cabinet on May 29?

Furthermore, had Najib given a full and frank account of his relationship with Jho Low, the “mover and shaker” of the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal, and Jho Low’s role in the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal?

On June 3, I drafted “Ten Questions on 1MDB for dummies” which all Cabinet Ministers should be able to answer, but no Cabinet Minister seems able to do so.

Can all who attended Najib’s special briefing yesterday able to answer all these 10 questions on 1MDB for dummies?

If the answers are in the negative, how could the UMNO divisional leaders go out to explain to the public that the the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal does not exist, and that all the 1MDB deals, debts, investments and transactions are proper and above-board?

If the answers are in the positive, then the question that immediately arises is why the Prime Minister is prepared to make a “clean breast” of the 1MDB controversy in a closed-door briefing for UMNO divisional leaders and selected NGO representatives, but not in Parliament?

The Prime Minister must give Malaysians a truthful and straightforward answer about the 1MDB scandal as he cannot continue to run and hide as he did over the 1MDB “Nothing2Hide” forum two Fridays ago.

Malaysians do not want Najib to play the role of ace magician like David Copperfield by just winding up and dissolving the 1MDB so as to claim that 1MDB controversy is no more as it has ceased to exist, but to be responsible for all 1MDB and 1MDB-related issues and scandals, including those passed off to other entities should there be a winding-up and dissolution of 1MDB.

Malaysians want a straightforward answer from the Prime Minister: Is Najib giving an undertaking to the nation that he and all his Ministers will resign and retire from politics if the 1MDB scandal and all-related 1MDB issues are not resolved by the end of the year?

The Deputy Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers should also speak up whether they agree with Najib or not on this undertaking.

If the answer here is in the positive, then Malaysians are not only looking at the possibility of some 30 parliamentary by-elections by the end of the year but even a change of government in Putrajaya.