‘It is a ludicrous suggestion’

Facing the law: Najib arriving at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak has sworn at the High Court that he did not instruct the transfer of RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd’s coffers into his bank account.

In a rare move for a person already charged in the court of law, the former prime minister swore using an Arabic phrase often used by Muslims to swear in order to prove themselves.

“Wallahi wabillahi watallahi. I have never ever instructed anyone to do that, ” he said during a re-examination by his lawyer Farhan Read.

Farhan had asked him to explain his denial that he had instructed former SRC International CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil to transfer the money into his personal account.

The 67-year-old said he never gave the instruction to Nik Faisal.

“There is no evidence that I gave such an instruction and no witness has also come forward to say so, ” he said here yesterday.

Najib also took a jab at the current administration when he was asked about the dismissals of his former deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and then rural and regional development minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal from his Cabinet.

“The present prime minister removed more ministers, ” he said in reference to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, adding that both Muhyiddin and Shafie had spoken outside of the Cabinet and this went against the principle of collective responsibility.

“Can you imagine the prime minister says one thing and the minister contradicts him?”

Cabinet discussions, added Najib, were also subjected to the Official Secrets Act and both Muhyiddin and Shafie were dismissed because they failed to abide by this.

“I would never remove a minister just because he disagrees with me, ” he added.

The Pekan MP also said it was “ludicrous” to suggest that he had taken money from SRC International and transferred it into his personal account.

“I must say, I’ve been in government for a long time. I’ve been a prime minister for nine years.

“It is ludicrous to say I took money from an MKD (Minister of Finance Inc) company and in some way or some manner, transferred it into my account.

“If I were a criminal, I would be a stupid person as you don’t put stolen money in your personal account. A lot of people would realise. Certainly Bank Negara would realise, ” he said.

He maintained that he was not “that stupid” to do such an act.

“I’m not the most intelligent person but I’m not that stupid to do something bizarre like this. You cannot go into a conjecture.

“There is no evidence that I directed RM42mil to be placed in my account, ” he said, insisting that he had also never asked nor directed anyone to put the money in his account.

“When I found out about it (the money), I was aghast. It has never happened, not in my years in government.”

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 before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues today. - Star