Shahrol paid RM99k a month, received 18-month bonus of RM1.4mil

NAJIB TRIAL | A former 1MDB CEO testified in court today that his last drawn salary before exiting the company in 2013 was RM99,000 a month.

Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi said he initially earned a monthly salary of RM80,000 when he first joined 1MDB in 2009. The company was then known as the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA).

This was apart from the allowances he received as a member of the company's board of directors.

Testifying under examination-in-chief by DPP Gopal Sri Ram on the 16th day of 1MDB criminal trial against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, Shahrol said he received an annual allowance of RM179,000 as a board member.

The witness added that for every board meeting he attended, he would also get RM1,500 allowance.

According to Shahrol, the salary he received when joining the company was fixed by the board, which was then chaired by Bakke Salleh.

Sri Ram: Did you partake in that decision (making)?

Shahrol: No.

Sri Ram: Did you receive any increment in your salary?

Shahrol: Yes. In 1MDB, every year the Human Resources (Department) would engage an external consultant to benchmark what would be the market increment. I also received increments like other staff as well.

Sri Ram: How much?

Shahrol: I don't remember, as it varies every year. But my last drawn salary from 1MDB was RM99,000.

The DPP then asked if the RM99,000 salary was before or after tax, to which the witness said it was before taxation.

Sri Ram (photo) then quipped that he was in the wrong profession, causing the others in the courtroom to turn to stitches.

Najib happy with Shahrol's performance

Along with the salary and allowances, the court also heard that Shahrol received bonuses during his years as the company's chief executive.

Once he was awarded an 18-month bonus payout which totalled to over RM1.4 million, as Shahrol said he was earning around RM80,000 at that time.

He however could not remember exactly if the bonus was for the financial year of 2011 or 2012.

According to Shahrol's testimony, the bonus payout was after he was told by businessperson Jho Low that Najib was pleased with his (Shahrol) performance in the company.

Low had informed Shahrol this a few days after the witness had personally spoken to Najib on the phone, where the then prime minister wanted to know about the status of CSR projects that 1MDB was doing through its foundation.

"What is interesting is that a few days later, Low told me that he spoke to Najib, who mentioned to him about that call, and he (Low) told me that, if I recall the word (correctly), was 'boss was pleased' and 'Shahrol was on top of things'," the witness said. - Mkini