KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has acknowledged that the RM42 million channelled into his personal accounts was not connected to an alleged donation from the Saudi royal family, telling the High Court this emerged only with “subsequent knowledge”. 

His remarks came during cross-examination in a civil suit filed by SRC International and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, to recover funds they say were misappropriated.

According to Free Malaysia Today, SRC’s counsel Kwan Will Sen pressed the former prime minister repeatedly on whether he still maintained the money originated from a Saudi donor.

“At this very moment, do you still maintain that the RM42 million is from the Saudi donation?” Kwan asked.

“At that particular time, I thought it was a Saudi donation,” Najib replied.

Kwan then sought to clarify if Najib now accepted that the funds had nothing to do with any donation. 

“Based on subsequent knowledge, yes,” Najib responded when asked whether he agreed with the statement.

The lawyer also reminded Najib that the “Saudi donation” defence had already been dismissed by multiple courts in the separate SRC corruption trial.

“This particular defence of the Saudi donation was dismissed by all levels of the courts… is that a correct statement?” Kwan asked.

“Yes,” Najib said, before adding that he “didn’t have the opportunity to do a full explanation at the Federal Court”, noting that one senior judge in the subsequent review agreed he had not received a fair trial.

Kwan, however, pointed out that the majority decision still upheld the finding that the RM42 million was not a donation. 

“All said and done… that is correct, isn’t it?” he asked. 

Najib replied: “Yes. Unfortunately, yes.”

The court also heard that in Najib’s ongoing 1MDB case, High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah had reached the same conclusion — that there was no documentary evidence supporting the donation claim. 

Najib confirmed this, while noting that he has appealed.

Najib, 72, has been serving a six-year sentence at Kajang Prison since August 2022 after his SRC conviction was upheld. 

His original 12-year sentence and RM210 million fine were halved by the Federal Territories Pardons Board in January 2024. 

In December last year, Sequerah sentenced him to an additional 15 years’ jail and imposed an RM11.387 billion fine in the 1MDB case, to be served consecutively.

He was represented in court by lawyer Farhan Shafee. 

The hearing before Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan continues tomorrow.