Najib never asked source of RM2.6b in account: Ex-BNM governor

 

Najib Abdul Razak never enquired with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) about the source of the RM2.6 billion in the then prime minister’s account, testified the central bank's former governor.

Zeti Akhtar Aziz told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this concerning the accused's claim - relayed during an interview with Malaysiakini in 2018 - that the then BNM governor was aware of the RM2.6 billion that flowed into Najib's account in 2013.

She was testifying during an examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar during today's RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against Najib.

Kamal: Did Najib anytime inquire about the source of the transaction involving his four accounts (linked to the inflow of billions of ringgit)?

Zeti: He did not.

She told trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that BNM only became aware of the transaction sometime in 2013, which triggered a further investigation that led to the mid-2015 central bank raid on AmBank, where Najib's accounts were kept.

The former Malaysian central bank governor explained that BNM relies on suspicious transactions reports (STR) from commercial banks to monitor the inflow and outflow of dubious transactions into bank accounts.

Zeti said that the 2015 BNM raid on the commercial bank further confirmed the transaction, adding that the bank was later fined over the incident.

She explained that the commercial bank had omitted to inform BNM about the suspicious transactions involving Najibs' accounts,.

She added that the BNM raid found that the former finance minister received around RM3.2 billion in his accounts.

(However, it is unclear whether the additional amount above the RM2.28 billion - which is the subject matter of Najib's ongoing case - is linked to 1MDB or not).

Zeti, Najib's lawyer clash

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in court heated up when Najib's lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah began cross-examining Zeti.

When the veteran lawyer raised the MACC press statement in March last year about the anti-graft agency probing her husband concerning 1MDB-linked transactions in Singapore, Zeti said she had no knowledge of the matter.

This as it involved her husband's asset management company.

"I never knew there was an inquiry in Singapore, only that the account was not in Malaysian jurisdiction and I knew nothing of it.

"This jurisdiction (Singapore) has the highest standard of integrity. I would like to say that at no time has any action been taken against any member of my family over wrongdoing in their (Singapore) jurisdiction," Zeti countered.

When Shafee kept questioning Zeti whether she was aware of the MACC press release, Kamal objected to the line of questioning as it amounted to a collateral attack, as the question does not relate to Najib's criminal charges.

(A collateral attack is a disallowed method to undermine the credibility of a prosecution witness indirectly)

However, Shafee countered that the question is relevant regarding documentation over Zeti's family allegedly having received funds from companies linked to 1MDB-linked fugitive Low Taek Jho (Jho Low).

Sequerah then allowed the cross-examination but reminded Shafee to stay within certain boundaries so that it does not amount to a collateral attack.

The defence team's previous contention was that Singaporean companies linked to Zeti's family allegedly received part of monies from 1MDB.

Zeti then testified that Najib's lawyers have no access to another document stating that her husband reported to the Singaporean authorities about the suspicious transaction linked to the companies upon finding out about their dubious nature from open-source information.

When Shafee challenged her to produce the document, the witness countered that she cannot do so until the Malaysian authorities have wrapped up an investigation into the matter.

Zeti also agreed with Shafee that her understanding of the matter is hearsay as she heard from her husband, Tawfiq Ayman.

The trial before Sequerah continues this afternoon.

Najib is facing four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB, a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).

For the four abuse of power charges, the former Pekan MP is alleged to have committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Bhd’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.

On the 21 money laundering counts, the accused is purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013. - Mkini