The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters its 39th day today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Defence counsel in heated argument with witness, DPP
- Najib said RM42m transfer into account damaging to reputation: Witness
- YR1M had separate accounts for halal, non-halal fundings
- Ex-YR1M CEO joined Jho Low's company in 2004
- Najib arrives in court
Defence counsel in heated argument with witness, DPP
10.40am - A heated argument ensues between DPP V Sithambaram, defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh and witness Ung Su Ling when the latter is being cross-examined by Harvinderjit.
This occurs as Harvinderjit was questioning the former CEO of Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) over what transpired in 2014 when she ordered Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB) to transfer a total of RM32 million into Najib Abdul Razak's two AmBank accounts.
Harvinderjit appears to be upset with Ung when she keeps trying to further explain her answers to his questions, instead of stating whether she agrees or disagrees with the lawyer.
Telling the witness to just answer 'yes' or 'no' to his questions, Harvinderjit then tells off the witness for purportedly looking at the prosecution team when answering his questions instead of looking at the judge.
This prompted Sithambaram to rise from his seat and raise his stern objection, questioning the defence lawyer if he was insinuating that the prosecution was coaching Ung.
"What are you insinuating? We are not into coaching witness," Sithambaram says.
"Don’t push it," he adds later.
Najib said RM42m transfer into account damaging to reputation: Witness
10.10am - Then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak allegedly said the RM42 million transferred into his bank account was damaging to his reputation, testified former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) CEO Ung Su Ling (photo, below).
The 48th witness tells lawyer Harvinderjit Singh that Najib told her this when they met somewhere in 2015, following a Wall Street Journal report on the alleged transfer.
"What he (Najib) said was that it was very damaging to him, his reputation and career and that he did not know where the money was transferred from to his account. I do not remember if he said or did not say the money was from IPSB (Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd)," she says.
When Harvinderjit asks if Najib expressed shock, she says Najib was very annoyed.
She adds that she apologised to him and offered to resign from her position as YR1M CEO.
YR1M had separate accounts for halal, non-halal fundings
9.45am - Former CEO of Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia Ung Su Ling tells the court that YR1M had separate bank accounts for different funders.
She says this was a precaution as some project recipients might be sensitive when it comes to receiving projects with funds derived from gaming proceeds.
"So, as a precaution, we separated (the funds)," she testifies.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh, Ung said she had met Najib, who was one of the YR1M trustees, about five times on official matters concerning the foundation and its projects.
Ex-YR1M CEO joined Jho Low's company in 2004
9.30am - The hearing begins with the continuation of cross-examination on former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) CEO, Ung Su Ling.
Picking up from where lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah left yesterday, his sidekick Harvinderjit Singh starts his line of questioning with matters pertaining to Ung's witness statement preparation.
The counsel then scrutinises the 48th prosecution witness' background, including her experience working in Wynton Group, a company owned by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho, (photo, above) or better known as Jho Low.
Ung testifies that she first knew Jho Low while he was still studying at Wharton University in Pennsylvania, sometime in 2000 or 2001.
She tells the court Jho Low then had wanted to come back to Malaysia and start a company, similar to a start-up he had done in the United States.
According to Ung, she joined Wynton Group in 2004 together with three others, including her former boss at Marican and Partners asset management company.
Ung continued to work with Wynton until 2006, when she joined CIMB Bank.
Najib arrives in court
9.19am - Najib enters dock as proceedings begin.
9.04am - Accused Najib Abdul Razak enters the court and takes a seat in the front row of the public gallery to await the beginning of proceedings.
Also seen in court are Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and DPPs, as well as the former prime minister's counsel Harvinderjit Singh and other members of the defence team.
Najib Abdul Razak's defence team is set to turn up the heat today in its cross-examination of former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) chief executive officer Ung Su Ling.
The former prime minister's lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah hinted as much yesterday when he informed the court that the defence's line of questioning will enter areas of "controversy".
As proceedings before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali enters its 39th day this morning, the defence is expected to grill 48th witness Ung over her testimony.
During examination-in-chief yesterday, she said that the RM42 million that flowed from 1MDB's corporate social responsibility (CSR) partner Ihsan Perdana to Najib's two AmBank accounts between December 2014 and February 2015 did not originate from YR1M.
She also testified that Najib's then private secretary, the late Azlin Alias, ordered her to direct Ihsan Perdana's CEO Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman to make the transfer; that she was informed the transfer was made for CSR purposes; and that she was at that time unaware that the two bank accounts belonged to Najib, among others.
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