'If it's football, Jho Low would know both teams, even the stadium'
NAJIB TRIAL | Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, the former special officer to Najib Abdul Razak, said fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho was someone who is able to place his men at various levels to ensure that he is able to get his way.
Testifying as the eighth witness at the former prime minister's 1MDB graft trial today, he likened Low to someone who has connections with all parties in a football match...
NAJIB TRIAL | Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, the former special officer to Najib Abdul Razak, said fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho was someone who is able to place his men at various levels to ensure that he is able to get his way.
Testifying as the eighth witness at the former prime minister's 1MDB graft trial today, he likened Low to someone who has connections with everyone involved in a football match.
"If it's a football match, I may have been asked to meet the referee, but I know it's fixed because he (Low) already knows the manager of Team A and Team B, the supporters and even the people who made the stadium," he said.
Amhari, under cross-examination, was asked by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to elaborate on his claim that Low was a "master manipulator," as it was a serious allegation.
Shafee: Basically, he is a puppetmaster? He can move whatever he wants?
Amhari: I can agree with that.
Shafee: He did this very often without any sense of ethics, as long as he achieves what he wants?
Amhari: He gets what he wants, if not the first way, he will get it a different way. Whether it is ethical or not, I cannot comment.
Asked for clearer examples, Amhari (photo) said he was tasked by Najib to go to meet with key people in Abu Dhabi and China to deal with 1MDB debt.
However, Amhari said upon arrival, he would find that everything had already been pre-planned and put in place by Low.
"For example, in the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) negotiation, when I met with (Mubadala CEO) Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak (in Abu Dhabi), I was clueless (tidak tahu hujung pangkal) about it.
"Likewise, when I went to China, I was clueless. But when I arrived in both countries, I found all the agenda had been arranged.
"Even if I have a different opinion, there may be other people who will remind me to follow the agenda as he (Low) has people in all kinds of places," he said.
Amhari also testified that he thought Low was close to Najib, as he had seen the businessperson when going to the then-prime minister's home for briefing.
"I see him (Low) relatively more often than anyone else to go in and out of Najib's house," he said, adding that the meetings normally took place at his Jalan Langgak Duta residence.
Yesterday, Amhari testified that while he and his immediate superior, the late Azlin Alias, had acted on Low's orders, they believed it was with Najib's blessing.
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