NAJIB TRIAL | Former second finance minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah (above) told the Kuala Lumpur High Court he had requested to lead a delegation to resolve the issue of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds frozen in Switzerland but then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who was also finance minister, was not agreeable to the proposal.
Testifying as the 56th witness in Najib's SRC International graft trial, Husni said he had learnt that SRC International funds amounting to some RM3 billion was frozen by Swiss authorities on suspicion of money laundering.
"I then met with Najib and asked for permission to lead a delegation from the Finance Ministry, Bank Negara and Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) to present documents as evidence that the money was a loan from KWAP (to SRC International) and should not have been frozen for money laundering.
"However, the prime minister did not agree with my actions," he said, reading from his witness statement.
Elaborating while under examination by DPP Muhammad Izzat Fauzan, Husni said he believed the Swiss authorities had made a mistake and had, therefore, made the proposal.
Izzat: What happened after that?
Husni: After Najib disagreed then nothing happened lah.
Izzat: Did he say why he didn't agree?
Husni: He just didn't agree.
Izzat: Can you recognise him?
Husni: Ha, the one at the back, always smiling (Husni gestures to Najib in court).
In his testimony, Husni had also likened himself to an "office boy" claiming that he was left out of decisions with regard to SRC International and that Najib's government was "autocratic" when it came to the topic.
After Izzat concluded his examination and gave the floor to the defence team, lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah called Husni's testimony "dramatic" and requested to continue with the cross-examination on a later date.
"I have to seek instruction from my client because the testimony is very much like the testimony of an angry man against my client.
"I want to know in what way he was told not to be involved but yet he was involved. He is saying to the extent that he had no choice like he had a gun to his head.
"We are not asking much, we are asking for one full day to take instructions," he said, adding that the defence was "taken by surprise".
High Court Judge Nazlan Mohd Ghazali agreed to grant an adjournment for Shafee to consult Najib.
The trial was supposed to continue at 2.30pm tomorrow but due to Shafee's request, it will only resume on Thursday.
Husni was appointed as the second finance minister in 2009 but resigned in June 2016.
Najib had sought to transfer Husni to another ministry in a cabinet reshuffle, prompting Husni to decline reappointment into the cabinet.
The Swiss Attorney-General Office (OAG), in October 2016, confirmed that it was investigating transactions involving SRC International.
"On analysing the evidence obtained, the OAG identified further suspect transactions involving the Swiss financial sector. Firstly, the sum of US$800 million appears to have been misappropriated from investments in natural resources made by the SRC fund.
"Secondly, it is suspected that a ‘Ponzi’ scheme fraud was committed to conceal the misappropriations from both the SRC fund and from 1MDB," it had said.
Najib is standing trial on seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million of SRC International's fund.
He is accused of receiving the sum as kickbacks for approving the RM4 billion loan to SRC International.
Najib had denied wrongdoing or using public funds for personal gains. - Mkini
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