Ex-AmBank MD reiterates Jho Low introduced him to Najib

1MDB TRIAL | A former AmBank managing director reiterated his testimony that fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) introduced him to then-premier Najib Abdul Razak in 2011.

Cheah Tek Kuang told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this during today’s proceedings of the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against the former finance minister.

On July 17, 2019, during the separate RM42 million SRC International graft case against Najib, Cheah testified that Low ushered him into the accused’s house 11 years ago.

At the 1MDB hearing before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah this morning, the witness repeated his testimony when replying to lead deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram during a re-examination.

Previously for the same trial, Cheah testified that he and Low were in different cars that formed a convoy heading to Najib’s house at Langgak Duta in Kuala Lumpur in early 2011.

Sri Ram: Could you explain to His Lordship (Sequerah) that when you arrived (at Najib’s house), was Low there (at the house) or was he with you?

Cheah: He was in a different car (in the same convoy). When I walked to the house, he (Low) introduced me to Najib.

The 39th prosecution witness said that he had gone to a different part of Najib’s house and that he noticed the businessperson was accompanied by several other people.

Cheah added that after he got Najib’s signature on a form to open a bank account with AmBank, he left the house with the document.

Previously, the witness testified that while he was at the house, Najib told him that the then-premier wanted to open a bank account in order to receive a US$100 million donation from Saudi Arabia.

Proceedings before Sequerah will continue today and are expected to resume tomorrow.

25 charges

Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.

In relation to the four abuse of power charges, the incumbent Pekan MP was alleged to have committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.

On the 21 money laundering counts, he was purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.

The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was carried out by Low and several others with Najib’s blessing.

The accused’s defence team, however, claimed that the former premier had no knowledge of the crime perpetrated at 1MDB and the embezzlement was solely masterminded by Low and other members of the fund’s management.

1MDB is wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).

Najib also used to be the chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers.

The BN advisory chairperson is serving a 12-year jail sentence after the Federal Court on Aug 23 dismissed his appeal against the SRC conviction over seven criminal charges, the custodial term, and an RM210 million fine in lieu of an additional five years in jail.

Initially a subsidiary of 1MDB, SRC later became fully owned by MOF Inc. Najib also used to be adviser emeritus to SRC.

Jho Low at 2009 luncheon - witness

Meanwhile, during proceedings before Sequerah this afternoon, 40th prosecution witness Kok Tuck Cheong testified that Low was present during a 2009 luncheon between 1MDB’s predecessor Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) and AmBank.

Kok, who used to be the managing director of the bank’s subsidiary Aminvestment Bank, told the court he was introduced to the businessperson by his then colleague at the bank, Chan Wan Seong, at the lunch meeting involving between five and seven people at Mandarin Oriental at Kuala Lumpur.

The witness said this during cross-examination by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Shafee: What was Jho Low introduced as?

Kok: There was no formal introduction as he (Low) was just there. He did not talk much. I was baffled.

The witness added that no serious business discussion was raised as it was just a casual lunch.

In previous proceedings in the 1MDB trial, the court heard that Low was an advisor to TIA, which was then owned by the Terengganu state government.

However later in 2009, TIA was fully transferred to MOF Inc and its name was rebranded to 1MDB.

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