Prosecution witness: Najib called during 2009 1MDB meeting attended by Jho Low

 

Businessperson Low Taek Jho allegedly received a telephone call from then premier Najib Abdul Razak during a 1MDB board meeting in 2009, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.

1MDB’s former corporate strategy director Kelvin Tan this morning testified that the telephone call came during the meeting on Sept 26 that year, whereby Low’s attendance was not recorded in its attendance list and minutes.

Tan was testifying during today’s trial of Najib and former 1MDB CEO K Arul Kanda’s case of alleged amendment of the final audit report on the troubled sovereign wealth fund.

Among the crux of the prosecution’s case was that several controversial issues were removed from the 1MDB final audit report, following a crucial meeting on Feb 24, 2016.

Former auditor-general Ambrin Buang, who attended the Feb 24 meeting, previously testified that a decision was made that day to remove the issue of Low’s attendance at the 2009 1MDB board meeting.

Besides Ambrin, among others who were present at the Feb 24 meeting are then government chief secretary Ali Hamsa, Dzulkifli Ahmad then from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), Najib’s then principal private secretary Shukry Salleh, and Arul Kanda.

During today’s open-court proceedings before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, Tan testified that despite having no official role in 1MDB, Low was in attendance in the 2009 1MDB board meeting.

The 8th prosecution witness said that in response to a question from then 1MDB director Che Lodin during the meeting, Low had answered that he has a role in the “Board of Advisers”.

Tan testified that the 1MDB board members in attendance then took note of Low’s answer and made no further issue with the businessperson’s attendance in the meeting.

Besides being then premier and finance minister, Najib also used to be chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers. 1MDB is fully-owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated.

During cross-examination by Najib’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah today, Tan testified that during the 2009 board meeting, Low handed a handphone to then 1MDB chairperson Mohd Bakke Salleh.

The witness claimed that the telephone call was from the then prime minister in 2009.

Shafee: Jho Low must have said something at the meeting. Otherwise, what is the point of his attending the meeting?

Tan: I remember he (Low) passed the phone to Bakke, and I recall Bakke being surprised that it was the prime minister.

However, during further prodding from Shafee, Tan said he could not recall what else was said by Low during the meeting.

Later today during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Mustaffa P Kunyalam, the witness said the telephone call was from Najib.

Mustaffa: You said that Jho Low passed the phone to Bakke, saying it was the PM. Who was the PM at the time?

Tan: Najib Razak.

Hearing continues today with the 9th prosecution witness, former cabinet deputy secretary Mazidah Abdul Majid taking the stand.

Najib is charged with using his position to order amendments to 1MDB's final audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), in order to prevent any action against him.

Co-accused Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments.

The charges are framed under Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act 2009, which specifies a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher. - Mkini