KUALA LUMPUR: The establishment of the Special Task Force in 2015 was to investigate issues in 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and not intended to topple the then sitting prime minister, says former Bank Negara (BNM) governor.
Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz testified that the ultimate aim of the investigation was to determine any wrongdoings in the company and to recover its monies.
She denied that the investigation was to find a way to charge Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was the prime minister then.
The Special Task Force was set up on March 6, 2015, to investigate 1MDB matters and key figures in the task force were former attorney general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and Zeti herself for the central bank.
"At that time, the investigation was on 1MDB and not on the PM (Najib). We only found out later that there was a connection,” said Zeti who was being cross-examined by Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah at the RM2.28bil 1MDB trial here on Monday (Aug 14).
Zeti, who is the 46th prosecution witness, said she had no knowledge if Najib was being secretly investigated by the MACC.
"It was never mentioned in the task force meeting," she said.
According to Zeti, there was a high level of concern over 1MDB's debt.
“If 1MDB was to default (on its debts), the implication will be generational. Not only on the current living people but also their children and their children's children," she said.
Muhammad Shafee: I put it to you that the task force was to find a way to topple the sitting prime minister (Najib)?
Zeti: Not correct. When the task force first met on June 9, 2015, there was no knowledge on the part of anybody from BNM that there was a connection between 1MDB and the prime minister's account. That is not correct.
Muhammad Shafee: Were you aware that there were drafts of charges levied against Najib, the sitting premier, when a MACC deputy public prosecutor premises was raided?
Zeti: I'm not aware.
The witness earlier told the court that BNM only found out that a sum of RM3.2bil went into Najib's account after a joint raid by BNM and the MACC on AmBank in 2015.
Muhammad Shafee: I'm putting it to you. Do you notice that the fault is on the 1MDB board, 1MDB management, BNM and AmBank... and who is in the accused dock? It is the former PM who did nothing in this transaction. I'm putting it to you, is there anything that can show that Najib was involved in this hoodwinking?
Zeti: RM3.2bil went into his account and he expensed at least RM1bil, and this is being partly 1MDB monies, that is why.
Muhammad Shafee: You also say 'that time I didn't know, now I know' but when the PM (Najib) says “that time I didn’t know, now I know", you say that it is wrong. Why is there a double standard?
Zeti: I disagree that it is double standard.
To another question, Zeti denied that the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP), established on May 12, 2018, was set up to look into 1MDB matters.
The CEP comprised of former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, Zeti, former Petronas chief executive officer Tan Sri Hassan Marican, business tycoon Tan Sri Robert Kuok and economist Prof Dr Jomo Kwame Sundaram.
“I attended the 100 days of meeting (of CEP) and 1MDB was not discussed. Why would they call Robert Kuok and Hassan Marican to discuss 1MDB. We were in the meeting to give advice on the Malaysian economy,” she said.
Najib, 70, is on trial for 25 charges in total - four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28bil; and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.
The trial continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah tomorrow (Aug 15).
