KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 ― A former special officer to Datuk Seri Najib Razak today described Low Taek Jho as a “master manipulator” who was very effective in getting people to do what he wants.
Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin told the High Court here that the fugitive financier better known worldwide as Jho Low was so convincing that he could even “sell ice to an Eskimo”.
Under cross-examination by Najib’s lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Amhari said Low was good at controlling the information flow to ensure those acting for him could not read his overall plans.
Shafee: Is Jho Low is a master manipulator?
Amhari: In an overwhelming way, he is able to place people, meet people and engage people in various levels, whether high level, medium position, low position, domestic or international, he gets what he wants. Most of the time, we do not know who these people are.
Shafee: Do you have examples of instances that he is a master manipulator?
Amhari: As an example, my negotiations with IPIC to meet with Khaldoon, I do know heads or tails; my trip to China, I don't know heads or tails. When I arrived in both countries, all of the agenda has been set and if I disagree with something, there are others there to remind me to continue with the agenda.
Amhari was referring to his trip to China to broker a deal between the country and China's state-owned companies as well as his meeting in Abu Dhabi with Mubadala Development Company CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
Shafee suggested to Amhari that Low's primary quality was to convince people to do what he wants and that the Penang-born could even “sell ice to an Eskimo” to which the latter agreed.
Amhari also agreed with Shafee’s suggestion that Low was a “puppet master”.
Shafee then asked how Amhari concluded that Low was close to Najib and his family.
Shafee: How did you establish that Low and Najib were close?
Amhari: I saw him often go in and out of Najib’s house personally... his house in Langgak Duta.
Amhari also said that frequently during his meetings with Low and his supervisor, the late Datuk Azlin Alias, the Penang-born financier often stated that certain talking points discussed by them would be brought to Azlin’s attention by Najib the following day.
However, Shafee then questioned Amhari’s conclusion that Low was close to Najib and his family, suggesting that the financier had often bragged about his connections with the former prime minister without Amhari ever confirming with Najib the veracity of Low’s claims.
In reply, Amhari disagreed with Shafee’s suggestion.
