1MDB Trial | Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) had recommended a RM23 million fine against 1MDB over failure to comply with the central bank’s directions under the Financial Services Act 2013, testified Zeti Akhtar Aziz.
However, the former BNM governor told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that the then attorney-general settled on a RM15- million fine against the troubled Malaysian sovereign wealth fund.
Zeti (above) was replying under cross-examination by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah during the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
Zeti: In order to impose the fine on 1MDB, we needed consent or permission of the attorney-general, and the attorney-general reduced the fine recommended by the central bank.
Shafee: How much was it (the fine recommended by BNM)?
Zeti: RM23 million.
Shafee: This was reduced to RM15 million.
Zeti: Yes.
On April 28, 2016, Bernama reported that BNM had issued a letter of administrative compound to 1MDB for failure to fully comply with directions issued under the Financial Services Act, with this being one of the final actions taken by Zeti prior to her retirement as BNM governor.
On Aug 17, 2018, then Bank Negara governor Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus revealed that 1MDB was fined RM15m.
Between July 27, 2015 and June 4, 2018, Mohamed Apandi Ali was attorney-general.
Previously, during the 1MDB trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, Zeti testified that then attorney-general Apandi in 2015 did not take up BNM’s recommendation to charge former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi as well as the fund’s two other former executives Casey Tang and Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil.
The trial before Sequerah would resume tomorrow.
Former finance minister Najib is facing four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB, a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).
For the four abuse of power charges, the former Pekan MP is alleged to have committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Bhd’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.
On the 21 money laundering counts, the accused is purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013. - Mkini
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