Najib paid RM1m for 1Malaysia promo, event management boss tells court

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 ― An event management company, Solar Shine Sdn Bhd, was paid a RM1 million cheque by Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2015 to promote the now-defunct 1Malaysia campaign nationwide to the non-Malays, the High Court heard today in the ex-prime minister’s ongoing RM42 million money-laundering and criminal breach of trust trial.

Datuk Lew Choon Lai, who testified as the prosecution’s 22nd witness, said his company Solar Shine Sdn Bhd was established in 2010 and mainly provided goodie bags containing daily necessities to be distributed to ethnic Indians in rural areas and elderly ethnic Chinese in residential areas while promoting the 1Malaysia concept to them.

“We coordinated with Barisan Nasional. In a sense, for example, when they need 300 people for a dinner event, we will provide them the people, musicians, T-shirts and lucky draws.

“We bought meals for people to promote this 1Malaysia policy of which I am a very strong believer. This was a dream policy where everybody of all races was equal,” he said.

The 1Malaysia initiative was a national campaign launched by Najib in 2009 to promote ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance.

Najib is on trial for criminal breach of trust and laundering over RM42 million of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) unit.

In his testimony, Lew explained that the goodie bags would normally consist of rice, cooking oil, curry powder, Milo powder and canned food.

He also confirmed the original cheque after it was shown to him in court on the 11th day of Najib’s SRC trial.

Lew said he met Najib in 2015 at the Prime Minister’s Office to get a RM1 million cheque to implement the 1Malaysia agenda.

“He passed me some funds to continue my ground campaign, mostly for the poor Indians and elderly Chinese all over the country.

“Then I would compile a report on the grounds’ sentiments and pass the information to Najib personally,” he said, adding that he undertook the responsibility voluntarily.

Asked what he did with the RM1 million after the cheque was processed, Lew said he took the funds to be distributed to the company’s creditors for ground works performed and the procurement of goods.

Cross-examined by Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Lew said he was “devastated” when asked if his reports yielded any positive results since 2010.

“We stopped our work after the general elections in May 9 last year.

“I am actually a very strong believer of the 1Malaysia policy and I wanted to do something about it by serving under such an honourable prime minister then,” he said.

Lew explained that the purpose of distributing the goodie bags was to foster better relationships with the poor ‘voters’ that he came across and denied pocketing a single sen from the cheque.

“The best way to get closer to them is to give them the essentials. We will then talk to them about 1Malaysia and how it is for all of which they were very impressed it.

“This is all NGO work,” Lew said, noting that the RM1 million were spent entirely on people’s welfare that he frequently engaged in his line of work.

When asked if he had suggested the cheque amount, Lew said there was no prior arrangement and Najib had been ‘generous’ with the amount as the latter was satisfied with the work performed.

Lew’s company is among the direct beneficiaries out of 15 recipients of cheques totalling over RM10.77 million issued under two AmIslamic Bank accounts registered under Najib’s name, based on documents produced in court previously.