KUALA LUMPUR: The former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) CEO was “lucky” to escape prosecution while the former prime minister ended up in the dock, says Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In his 525-page witness statement at the High Court here yesterday, Najib pointed his finger at Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, whom he claimed had been in cahoots with fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or also known as Jho Low, and responsible for the losses suffered by 1MDB.
“Isn’t he lucky that I am the accused person? Because if I were not the former prime minister and finance minister, I truly believe the stand he would be occupying wouldn’t be the witness stand but the dock,” Najib said.
Shahrol, who is a prosecution witness, had testified that he executed action plans provided by Low on the belief that the instructions came with the approval and blessings of Najib.
He was the CEO during the time 1MDB partook in a US$1bil investment for a joint venture with PetroSaudi International (PSI) Ltd.
The court was told that the US$1bil had been diverted into two different shell companies belonging to Low and one of Low’s associates.
“As for Datuk Shahrol’s convenient excuse that he facilitated the remittance of the US$1bil because he allegedly believed the instructions originated from me, one might almost admire the audacity of such a claim if it weren’t so obviously absurd as it not only contradicts the contemporaneous documented evidence.
“But then again, when it comes to me, such evidence seems to be conveniently ignored,” Najib said.
Shahrol’s “implausible” explanation on the remittance of the US$1bil, Najib said, only served a politically motivated agenda against him.
Najib said holding Shahrol accountable for the remittance would have exposed the fragility of his narrative and damaged his credibility.
“Instead, he is allowed to hide behind such excuses, essentially getting off scot-free for the US$1bil loss, just so he can be portrayed as a flawless, perfectly credible witness, perhaps even the gold standard of exemplary witnesses in abuse of power cases against politicians like me,” Najib added.
He also rubbished the prosecution’s narrative that claimed he abused his position to receive a US$20mil kickback.
The former prime minister said that it was “baseless and utterly absurd” for the prosecution to allege that Najib took steps – including purportedly directing the 1MDB board of directors to pass a resolution to participate in a joint venture with PSI – in order to receive a gratification of US$9,999,977 on Feb 24, 2011 and another US$9,999,977 on June 14, the same year.
“Yet, the prosecution alleges that I, while holding two most powerful positions in terms of being the head of the government and the head of financial sector of spending, prime minister and finance minister respectively, would jeopardise my political career and reputation that was build over 40 years to commit a criminal act for the sake of receiving US$9,999,977 on two separate occasions.
“This is a desperate claim by them that only fools would believe,” he said.
Najib is facing four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil gratification from 1MDB’s funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah today.
