Najib tells court he sacked Muhyiddin, Shafie for making statements outside Cabinet

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal were fired because the duo made statements outside Cabinet meetings, Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the High Court on Tuesday (Dec 10).

The former prime minister said this when questioned by Attorney General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas, who sits as prosecutor for Najib's SRC International Sdn Bhd trial.

(Muhyiddin was deputy prime minister, while Shafie was rural and regional development minister before being sacked).

The court heard that Muhyiddin and Shafie were sacked from the posts after making statements on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) outside Cabinet meetings in 2015.

Thomas: Serving as prime minister gives one the influence and power to appoint individuals to positions; it gives the power of appointment?

Najib: Yes, that is the power of the prime minister but it has its limit.

Thomas: Along with the power to appoint, there is power to fire?

Najib: Correct, but a prime minister needs to use the power prudently.

Thomas: You were not shy to use that power as you fired your then deputy prime minister and Shafie.

Najib: I didn’t just use my power that way.

Thomas: This is a fact. It is well known that you sacked them.

Najib: I sacked them because they made statements in public when it should have been done in Cabinet (meetings).

The court also heard that Najib appointed himself finance minister as he felt that he was able to improve the country's economy.

"I felt I had the ability to improve our economy, if you look back at my time and the macro figures, there were vast improvements," he said, before listing some of his achievements as finance minister.

"In 2017, our economy grew by 5.9%. The ringgit was stable during my time.

"I’m not bragging but I have delivered as a finance minister," he added.

When suggested by Thomas that he appointed himself as finance minister to secure government guarantees for 1MDB and its subsidiaries, Najib disagreed.

Najib is facing seven charges; three for criminal breach of trust, one for abuse of power and three for money laundering involving SRC International funds totalling RM42mil.

The hearing continues before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.- Star