KUALA LUMPUR: Arul Kanda Kandasamy, the former CEO of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), has told the High Court that he did not ask why the company's two auditors were terminated.
1MDB's auditors, Ernst & Young (EY) and KPMG were dismissed in 2010 and 2013, respectively.
Arul Kanda clarified that he did not inquire about the matter because he only joined the sovereign wealth fund in 2015.
The first defendant was responding to a question from 1MDB's counsel, Datuk Lim Chee Wee during the hearing of the US$6.59bil lawsuit against him and former chairman of the board Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah on Thursday (Jan 16).
Lim: Did you engage with the stakeholders of your former auditors, namely EY and KPMG, to understand why they resigned or were terminated?
Arul Kanda: No.
When asked by Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan if he had seen reprimanded reports (reports containing negative audit findings) from KPMG, Arul Kanda replied: "I do not know if there are any reprimanded reports".
In May 2021, 1MDB filed a lawsuit against the two individuals, accusing them of breach of trust and conspiracy, which led to losses of US$1.83bil, linked to the company's investment in 1MDB-Petrosaudi Ltd, which was subsequently converted into the Brazen Sky Limited investment, purportedly recoverable from the Bridge Global Fund.
1MDB also alleged that both defendants committed breach of trust and conspiracy by misappropriating US$3.5bil in company funds paid to Aabar Investments and US$1.265bil paid to International Petroleum Investment Company on May 9, 2017.
1MDB further alleged that Mohd Irwan conspired with Arul Kanda to extend his employment agreement, resulting in a payment of RM2,905,200 to Arul Kanda, all while disregarding the company's interests, which ultimately led to financial losses and damages.
Consequently, 1MDB is seeking US$6.59bil in damages from both defendants and an additional RM2.9mil from Mohd Irwan related to the extension of the employment agreement.
The hearing resumes on Friday (Jan 17). – Bernama
