1MDB trial: Jho referred to Najib as Optimus Prime, says ex-banker

Then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak was given the code name ‘Optimus Prime’ by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low), the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard.

The former finance minister’s former relationship manager Joanna Yu testified today that this was what the acronym “OP” stood for in a transcript of an alleged conversation between her and Low.

During this morning’s RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against Najib, former AmBank banker Yu (above) claimed the conversation took place via Blackberry Messenger (BBM) on Dec 8, 2014.

Yu’s testimony is similar to the one she gave during the RM42 million SRC International corruption trial against Najib back in 2019.

During examination-in-chief, deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Gopal Sri Ram referred the 41st prosecution witness to the transcript of the BBM chat allegedly between her and Low.

When the DPP asked what OP meant in the transcript, Yu said it meant Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots from the Transformers cartoon.

Sri Ram: Who was OP?

Yu: Najib.

When Sri Ram asked who sent the BBM message, “Tell him OP said they’ll likely close acc by end of Dec due to his behavior”, Yu testified it was a message from Low.

The witness said she sent a reply saying she informed AmBank’s then-managing director Cheah Tek Kuang.

It is understood the alleged BBM transcript was in regard to a purported discussion between Yu and Low over transactions involving Najib’s bank account.

The person referred to in the phrase “his behaviour” is not Najib but someone else involved in the purported bank transaction.

Hearing before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.

Najib’s 1MDB 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, the former finance minister 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.

However, the accused’s defence team claimed that Najib had no knowledge of the crime perpetrated at 1MDB and the embezzlement was solely masterminded by Jho 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.

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