Najib: Insane for me to willingly take SRC funds

SRC TRIAL | Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak said he did not know funds originating from state-owned SRC International Sdn Bhd had entered his bank accounts and would be insane (tidak waras) to willingly endorse such transactions.

"If I had known the money is from SRC, I would not have accepted it.

"Looking at the situation, it does not make sense (tidak masuk akal) and it is insane (tidak waras) for me to agree and willingly accept money from a company owned by the Finance Minister Incorporated into my personal bank account.

"SRC funds are borrowed funds that must be repaid. It does not make sense for me to agree to take borrowed funds," he told the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Najib maintained that his bank accounts were managed by his principal private secretary Azlin Alias, who is now deceased, and former SRC International chief executive officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil (above).

Najib said he had no knowledge of the funds' origin.

"I was never informed that there were transactions involving SRC funds through Perdana Putra Construction Sdn Bhd and Permai Binaraya Sdn Bhd that were remitted into my bank account."

Najib said this while being examined by defence lawyer Rahmat Hazlan.

Najib was asked to explain the testimony of an earlier witness - Najib's former Ambank relationship manager Joanna Yu, who said RM27 million originating from SRC International ended up in Najib's bank account ending 880.

The money was subsequently transferred to two other accounts of Najib's ending 906 and 898 from which he used to issue cheques.

Najib said he only found out about the matter during his trial.

"The situation was only revealed when the defence obtained the statements during my trial.

"I had used the funds by issuing cheques from accounts 898 and 906 with the belief that the funds given to me were in accordance with the law and was intended for corporate social responsibility purposes.

"Again, I stress that I never had any knowledge about the real source of funds originating from SRC and had no involvement in transferring funds out of SRC's accounts," he said.

'I didn't order the transfer of SRC funds'

In his testimony, Najib also denied having any knowledge of or role in the transfers of SRC funds that ended up in his bank accounts.

Najib claimed that he also did not order the transactions in 2014 where a total of RM32 million was transferred into his 880 and 906 accounts.

"I cannot explain how the transfers of these funds were ordered. I do not have any knowledge about the transfer of funds from SRC to IPSB, and then to my accounts.

"I only learned about the details of the transactions around July 2015 when the matter was sensationalised by the Sarawak Report."

Najib also claimed that he had never used the funds, and the transactions were carried out through manipulation and falsifying of documents for the benefit of a third party.

Najib, is standing trial for seven charges of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and abuse of power involving RM42 million in funds from SRC International.

The case is being presided by High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. - Mkini