Najib still warded at HKL, 1MDB trial vacated

 

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is on two-day medical leave and still warded at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) due to a blood pressure-related condition.

As a result, his RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial before the Kuala Lumpur High Court would only resume on Sept 26.

During open-court mention of the case before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah confirmed that the former finance minister was warded at HKL.

Shafee said that he only managed to meet his client at HKL after three hours as he was unable to meet the former premier and get updates from medical officers earlier.

“I then finally managed to meet my client, he (Najib) himself does not know how long he is going to be there. He only knows he is being tested on a daily basis.

“There is an MC (medical chit) provided by the Prisons Department (but issued by HKL), based on their medical examination. The MC is from Sept 14 to 15, and he is still at Ward 21 at HKL,” the lawyer explained.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said that the prosecution has no objection against the defence’s application to vacate the trial tomorrow as the accused’s condition was attested by government officers at a public hospital.

Sequerah then allowed the trial to be vacated tomorrow and for it to resume on Sept 26.

Sequerah: The accused ought to be better by then.

Shafee: I think so, given the time (from today until Sept 26).

Yesterday, it was reported that Najib was warded at HKL due to fluctuation in his blood pressure.

Two days ago, the prosecution informed the court that Najib’s health was quite bad and he needed to see a doctor, causing proceedings to end early just after midday.

Separately, Najib's special officer Muhamad Mukhlis Maghribi revealed that doctors at HKL performed a scope on the Pekan MP and discovered multiple new ulcers, a recurring problem in the last 15 years.

He said the doctors also performed a biopsy which led to some bleeding and several ulcers had to be clipped to stop the haemorrhage.

Najib is on trial on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.

Embezzlement charges

He was alleged to have committed four counts of corruption at AmIslamic Bank Berhad’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.

On the 21 money laundering charges, Najib was purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.

The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was carried out by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and several others, with Najib’s blessings.

The accused’s defence team, however, claimed the former premier had no knowledge of the crime perpetrated at 1MDB and the embezzlement was solely masterminded by Low and other members of the fund’s management.

Both 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd are fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).

Najib also used to be the chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers and served as adviser emeritus to SRC International.

He is serving a 12-year jail sentence, after the Federal Court on Aug 23 dismissed his appeal against the SRC International conviction over seven criminal charges, as well as the custodial term and RM210 million fine in lieu of an additional five years in jail.

Following this, it was reported on Sept 4 that Najib was hospitalised at HKL.

Daughter raises concerns

He was then discharged and managed to attend the ongoing RM2.28 billion 1MDB graft trial.

Two days ago on social media, Najib’s daughter Nooryana Najwa raised concern over her father’s health as he was allegedly discharged from hospital despite new ulcers being purportedly found.

In response, Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah denied the claims by the accused’s family, stating that the former premier was in good health when he was previously discharged.

Yesterday, in response to Nooryana’s claims, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin countered that Najib’s medication was not changed as the accused was given a generic equivalent medicine, adding that the former premier was in stable condition at HKL.

The minister also said that there was no need for the accused to be transferred from HKL to the National Heart Institute (IJN). - Mkini