Following the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) 1MDB-related civil forfeiture suits in 2016, former premier Najib Abdul Razak had purportedly attempted to shield his stepson Riza Aziz.
This was revealed in the audio recordings released by MACC, which the commission said are authentic.
According to MACC, Najib called United Arab Emirates crown prince Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan twice on July 22, 2016.
In the recordings played to the media at a press conference in Putrajaya today, the former premier made a “personal request” to Mohammed with regard to Riza.
“I also have this personal request, Your Highness, in regard to Riza and his movie.
“The problem is relatively small, there can be an agreement with Sheikh Mansour (then chairperson of the International Petroleum Investment Company Mansour Zayed al Nahyan) to have an agreement signed.
“He (Riza) will pay back according to schedule, that will show that it is a legitimate financing package, and not money laundering,” he said in one of the conversations.
Najib claimed that Riza was under pressure and was being made a scapegoat.
“I would appreciate if the agreement can be signed quickly with Sheikh Mansour, so that he can begin to pay back, so that it would appear as a legitimate loan agreement.
“Because when he (Riza) received it, the banks cleared the source of money. He was not aware at all where it came from.
“I don’t want him to be a victim when he genuinely believed it was from Aabar (Investments). Remember, when we met for lunch… Your Highness also talked about helping him,” he added.
The DOJ had accused Riza’s company Red Granite Pictures of using funds misappropriated from 1MDB to finance its films, including The Wolf of Wall Street.
In an earlier phone call also on July 22, 2016, Najib told the crown prince that DOJ’s announcement had placed a “dark cloud” over Malaysia.
Najib then said it is important for Malaysia and UAE to resolve the impasse over 1MDB. This is believed to be in relation to 1MDB’s failure to pay for bonds guaranteed by IPIC.
The former prime minister made arrangements to meet with Mohammed on Sunday (Feb 28, 2016), which the crown prince was at first agreeable.
However, in the later phone call, Mohammed told Najib not to fly down to the UAE, after having been advised on the matter.
Instead, the crown prince proposed that Khaldoon Al Mubarak, an associate of the Emirati royal family, to meet with a Malaysian official in Malaysia instead.
In 2017, Khaldoon would be appointed the chief executive officer of Mubadala Development Company after its merger with IPIC.
After speaking with the crown prince, Najib in the wee hours of July 23, 2016 called Khaldoon to discuss the situation with Riza, in which they both agreed that the meeting would be held without lawyers present.
Khaldoon’s name would pop up again in a conversation between Najib and his irate wife Rosmah Mansor on July 27 that year.
In that call, Rosmah ranted about IPIC’s move to bring 1MDB to arbitration, saying it should be retracted.
She then advises Najib to invite Khaldoon to Malaysia so that he can speak with Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin and sort out the IPIC matter, as well as the situation with Riza. MKINI
Dzulkifli and Azeez appear to discuss 1MDB probe, Tabung Haji link
Former Tabung Haji chairperson Azeez Abdul Rahim appeared to have discussed if the pilgrimage fund was linked to the 1MDB probe with former MACC chief Dzulkifli Ahmad.
When their alleged telephone conversations took place in January 2016, Dzulkifli was an officer with the Attorney General’s Chambers. In August of that year, he was appointed as the head of MACC.
The recording was one of several exposed by MACC during a press conference in Putrajaya today. The commission said the recordings, received from anonymous sources earlier this month, were authentic.
In the first call on Jan 17, Dzulkifli updated Azeez about an unspecified matter. Dzulkifli said he had completed one matter and would be finishing another, after which, “Tan Sri” would be briefed.
The Tan Sri is believed to be then attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.
MACC chief Latheefa Koya did not explain what the conversation was about but it is believed to related to the 1MDB investigation papers (IP).
During their conversation, Dzulkifli told Azeez that the matter was “all under control” while the latter claimed that “Tan Sri” had informed him that he planned to send, what is believed to be the IP, back to the investigators.
In their second telephone call on Jan 22, Azeez, who is the MP for Baling, asked Dzulkifli whether “it is good or bad.”
Dzulkifli informed him that after the IP was returned, investigators wanted to add two other names. This is believed to be in reference to suspects.
Dzulkifli: Shamsul, Nik, Suboh, and Aziz.
Azeez: Which Aziz?
Dzulkifli: Aziz something, I can’t remember which one.
Azeez: There’s an Aziz?
Dzulkifli: Not Azeez Rahim (laughs)
Azeez: (Laughs) so Aziz, Shamsul, Suboh, Nik. Ok lah, Rosman is not mentioned, it has nothing to do with 1MDB. Confirmed yes?
Dzulkifli: Confirmed.
Rosman is believed to be in reference to Rosman Abdullah, who is the managing director of Putrajaya Perdana, a company that Azeez was the chairperson of in 2015.
Putrajaya Perdana is also alleged to have links with fugitive businessperson Jho Low and purportedly received SRC International funds.
Meanwhile, Azeez asked Dzulkifli if “everything is on the ‘road to Mexico'”, which the latter affirmed. It is unclear what this was in reference to.
Azeez ended the conversation when he received another call from Dzulkifli’s “boss”.
The last conversation took place four days before Apandi held a press conference on Jan 26 clearing then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak of any wrongdoing in the 1MDB scandal.
On the same day, Apandi was appointed to Tabung Haji’s board of directors. MKINI
MKINI
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