KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Explosive evidence flowed at Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial at the High Court here this week.

The former prime minister now 66, is facing four charges of having used his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same funds.

Najib, who is also Pekan MP allegedly committed the four offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Jalan Raja Chulan branch, Bukit Ceylon here between February 24, 2011, and December 19, 2014, and the 21 charges, at the same place between March 22, 2013, and August 30, 2013.

The name of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low was repeatedly mentioned by Terengganu Investment Authority Berhad (TIA) later 1MDB former chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, 49, as the ninth and one of the prosecution’s key witnesses.

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Following are highlights of his testimony before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah from September 23 to 26.

Day 11 (September 23):

Jho Low was close to Najib and had access to the ex-PM either at his home in Jalan Langgak Duta here and his official residence at Sri Satria Putrajaya.

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The witness became aware of Jho Low’s close association with Najib who was then deputy prime minister and finance minister when he joined TIA in 2009.

“Jho Low took me to Datuk Seri Najib’s home and it looked like he was familiar with various parts of the residence. As soon as we arrived at the front gates, Jho Low was given immediate access into the compound, and once he was inside the residence, he requested for ‘milo ais’ (iced milo drink) from a domestic helper before meeting with Najib.”

Reading out his 270-page witness statement Shahrol Azral said he was pressured by Jho Low to obtain Islamic medium-term notes (IMTN) for the TIA project.

Jho Low wanted him to so do as Najib and (then Yang di-Pertuan Agong) Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin had asked him to expedite the fund-raising programme for TIA which started without any funds.

“I was initially informed by Jho Low that there was a proposal by the federal government to issue government guarantees (GG) for the RM5 billion loan by TIA to increase its funds.        

The GG will be used to guarantee loans obtained by TIA via IMTN bonds issued by local banks. The IMTN bond issuance programme valued at RM5 billion for 30 years, actually began before I joined TIA.”

Day 12 (September 24):

Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin was furious over the issue regarding IMTN RM5 billion bond loan applied by TIA.

Sultan Mizan (then the Yang Di-pertuan Agong) ordered that the IMTN issuance be suspended and postponed until the terms in the resolution were complied with.

“On May 22, 2009, I received a surprise instruction from Tuanku Mizan to come to Istana Terengganu with Tan Sri Ismee Ismail (TIA director) to meet him as soon as possible. Upon arriving, Ismee and I were escorted to the conference room while Tuanku Mizan and Tengku Rahimah (Sultan Mizan’s sister) subsequently came.

“Tuanku Mizan showed the resolution document which was signed by Tengku Rahimah. As far as I can remember, His Majesty said: Please sign this resolution, you can read it, if you want.”

“I was shocked and could feel that something was not right as Tuanku Mizan sounded angry. I looked at Ismee but did not say anything, although I was wondering why Tuanku was angry and wanted me to sign the resolution.”

Najib instructed for the agreement of a RM 5 billion bond loan to proceed despite a decree by Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin for it to be suspended and its issuance postponed.

Shahrol Azral said Jho Low was “orchestrator” for Najib in 1MDB’s dealings.

His presumption was reinforced by the fact that Najib would affirm, whenever he checked with the prime minister, every instruction that Jho Low had given him.

“What was obvious was that all talking points and action plan sent to me were 100 per cent consistent with Datuk Seri Najib’s action and decision after that.

“Hence, I’m very confident that Jho Low played the role of orchestrator for Datuk Seri Najib to implement all their plans in 1MDB.”

Day 13 (September 25):

Najib deliberately issued the minutes of the shareholders’ meeting to protect himself from allegations of 1MDB misappropriation.

The witness said he believed the minutes of the meeting were signed by the former prime minister on the advice of Jho Low.

Day 14 (September 26):

The takeover of TIA by 1MDB was to hide Najib’s misappropriation in the RM5 billion IMTN bond.

“Based on what I know now, I believe the takeover of TIA by 1MDB on an ‘as is where is basis’ was planned by Jho Low with the blessing of Datuk Seri Najib to hide his misappropriation during the RM5 billion IMTN bond issuance with government guarantee in May 2009.”

US$700 million (RM2.9 billion) from 1MDB was transferred into Jho Low’s company, Good Star Limited.

Jho Low handed over four cheques totalling US$100 million which was purportedly “donations” from Saudi royal family to Yayasan 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Trust Fund, but was told not to cash it.

Shahrol Azral confirmed the four cheques shown to him by lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri as the ones he received from Jho Low in September 2019.

“Yes, I did. I received these cheques from Jho Low. He instructed me to hold on to these cheques and to not do anything until he gave the go-ahead.”

Hollywood production company Red Granite Pictures (company behind The Wolf of Wall Street) owned by Najib’s stepson, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz received US$9 million (about RM38 million) as advance from Jho Low’s company Good Star Ltd to produce the movie.

US$9mil was paid to “Red Granite Productions, Inc. through an account at City National Bank, Los Angeles.

Document tendered in court stated, “advances for Wolf of Wall Street Movie for ACHL” dated September 10, 2012. 

Jho Low became the “matchmaker” between Najib and Goldman Sachs (Global) chief executive officer (CEO), Lloyd Craig Blankfein for a meeting at Four Seasons Hotel, New York in 2009 to discuss cooperation between 1MDB and Goldman Sachs in overseas investment.

“As I could remember, on November 22 209, a meeting was held between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib and Goldman Sachs (Global) CEO, Lloyd Craig Blankfein. Jho Low and Tim Leissner (Goldman Sachs Asia CEO) were the matchmakers for the meeting.

“Jho Low was facilitator for Datuk Seri Najib while Tim Leissner, for Lloyd Craig Blankfein. I noticed Jho Low and Tim Leissner were very close based on body language and their conversation. The meeting was held in Datuk Seri Najib’s suite at Four Seasons Hotel, New York.”

The trial continues on Monday. — Bernama