KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 ― The monetary assistance offered by then Saudi ruler King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud in January 2010 had to be channelled into Datuk Seri Najib Razak's personal bank accounts to ensure “smooth political manoeuvring” for the former premier, a former Cabinet minister testified today.
Former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said he was also made to understand the need for the funds to be channeled to Najib's personal accounts because King Abdullah was worried that a direct transaction to any political entity would complicate the expenditures of the donation fund.
“If I am not mistaken, King Abdullah also mentioned he would deliver the contributions not long after the said meeting date and stated that the channeling of said funds would be made into one of Najib's personal bank accounts for specific reasons,” he said in his witness statement at the High Court as the fifth defence witness in Najib’s RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial.
He earlier affirmed that an informal meeting between the two heads of state had taken place at King Abdullah’s palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on January 11, 2010, which he attended in his capacity as minister in charge of Islamic affairs.
Najib has maintained throughout his trial that multiple transactions amounting to RM3.2 billion from 2011 to 2013 in his personal bank accounts were Saudi royal family donations.
He said he believed the funds, which originated from senders identified as Prince Faisal Turki, Blackstone Real Estate Partner and Tanore Finance Corp, were part of donations from King Abdullah.
Jamil Khir said the matter on financial donations was part of the meeting's agenda among others including Haj quotas and discussions on political upheavals taking place in the Middle East.
At the end of the meeting, Jamil Khir said Najib signalled him to join King Abdullah and the monarch's interpreter at the centre of the meeting hall for a confidential dialogue between both head of states.
“I realise I was invited to the discussion because I was a minister in charge of Islamic affairs responsible for overseeing Haj and religion matters.
“I was also sure the discussion would include internal Malaysian politics and promise of financial donation from King Abdullah in which both matters were confidential,” he said, adding that the discussions were conducted in both Arabic and English.
To curb the spread of Shiah Islam and ensuring political continuity
To his knowledge, Jamil Khir told the court of the several reasons why King Abdullah may have wanted to help Najib with the promised financial donations.
“First, King Abdullah wanted Najib to ensure Malaysia's stability as a 'moderate' Islamic nation and thus needed to consolidate his position in the upcoming general election in 2013.
“Second, to deter the influence of 'Shiah' and eradication of widespread religious extremism in Malaysia,” he said.
Shiahs are a minority in Sunni Muslim-majority Malaysia, with some estimating their numbers in only the tens of thousands.
Shiah is Islam’s second-largest denomination and practised by an estimated 15 per cent of the 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, but is regarded as deviant here.
Najib is currently on trial over seven charges related to SRC International.
Three are for criminal breach of trust over a total RM42 million of SRC International funds while entrusted with its control as the prime minister and finance minister then, three more are for laundering the RM42 million, and the last is for abusing the same positions for self-gratification of the same sum.
