Shahrol: Arul Kanda said PMO wanted us to leave Malaysia to avoid PAC hearing

NAJIB TRIAL | The Prime Minister's Office purportedly instructed former 1MDB chief executive officer Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and his successor Arul Kanda Kandasamy to leave the country when the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) wanted to question them after the 1MDB scandal erupted in 2015.

Shahrol told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning that Arul had relayed this message to him.

"I recall that there was the first one in 2015 when we were issued a letter by the PAC to attend - Arul and myself.

"But I was with Arul at the time and Arul informed me that the instruction from the Prime Minister's Office was to travel overseas so that we would not be able to attend," he added.

Cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram, the ninth witness in former premier Najib Abdul Razak's 1MDB graft trial, said he left for Singapore the next day.

Sri Ram: Who in PMO (asked you to leave the country)?

Shahrol: That was what Arul said, I don't know who he meant.

Sri Ram: Arul Kanda, on the phone, told you to hightail it out of here?

Shahrol: He said PMO wanted us to hightail it in not so many words.

Shahrol was also summoned by the PAC to attend a hearing on 1MDB during its early days in 2010.

During that PAC hearing in 2010, Shahrol did not avoid the hearing but was briefed by fugitive businessperson Jho Low on how to respond to the questions.

Shahrol (photo) revealed that during the 2010 hearing, he was also briefed by then Kota Belud MP and PAC member Abdul Rahman Dahlan. 

After initially attempting to avoid the PAC hearing in 2015, Shahrol said he eventually testified and likewise there was an early briefing.

This time around, he said, there were more preparatory meetings held than the first PAC hearing in 2010. There were also meetings held after the PAC hearing.

Shahrol: Eventually I attended (the PAC hearing).

Sri Ram: When you attended, was there briefing (before the hearing)?

Shahrol: Yes, but a lot more people were involved. The talking points were the same. However, I received instructions via Arul or Low to go to Farid Ridzuan's house.

Shahrol said he understood Farid was in charge of shaping Najib's image and was attached with the Prime Minister's Office.

"I went to a house in Hartamas. It was in the evening and it was a series of evening meetings before and after the PAC hearing,” he added.

Shahrol concurred when asked if PAC members were present during the evening meetings at the Hartamas house and named then PAC chairperson Hasan Ariffin as among them.

"He (Hasan) informed me of what he presented in the post-PAC hearing meeting. He told me what were the thoughts of the committee and what would go into the report.

"The message was strong that this is a political attack against the prime minister and to downplay that Najib had any role in the decision of 1MDB," he added.

Najib is facing 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power over the alleged misappropriation of RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.

The trial is being presided by Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah. - Mkini