I received lump sum allowances over RM500k for 1MDB advisory role: Irwan

1MDB TRIAL | Former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah testified he received a monthly sum of RM25,000 between 2013 and 2018 for his role in 1MDB’s board of advisers (BOA) as well as the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund’s chairperson.

The 42nd witness in former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, Irwan (above) also testified that he received two lump sum payments totalling RM521,774 for both separate roles.

“After being appointed as a member of BOA, I received allowance from 1MDB as a BOA member every month consistently beginning Aug 26, 2013, until 2015 for each payment of RM25,000.

“Before receiving the monthly payments, I received payment of a ‘lump sum’ of RM221,774.00 via a cheque from 1MDB in August 2013. I was informed the payment was deferred payment as a 1MDB BOA member since I held the post of KSP (Treasury secretary-general) from August 2012 to August 2013.

“I did not ask for this payment to be made but it was made by 1MDB to me via 1MDB company cheque. The period of this allowance payment I received was from 2013 to 2016, until BOA was dissolved by the PM (Najib) himself following the investigation from the PAC (Parliament Accounts Committee) against 1MDB.

“After the BOA was dissolved, I also received an allowance, as 1MDB chairperson, of RM25,000 a month, but in 2016 a ‘lump sum’ payment of RM300,000 was made. The allowance payment was also made via a 1MDB cheque to me,” Irwan testified as Najib looked on from the dock.

The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Wednesday.

On Oct 24, 2018, Najib and Irwan pleaded not guilty to six charges of CBT amounting to RM6.6 billion in government funds involving payments to IPIC. The case, however, is only set for trial next year.

Najib’s 25 1MDB charges

In relation to the trial before Sequerah, Najib is facing four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.

In regards to the four abuse of power charges, the former 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 fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho 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 Low and other members of the fund’s management.

The BN advisory chairperson is serving a 12-year jail sentence after the Federal Court on Aug 23 dismissed his appeal against the RM42 million SRC International corruption case conviction. 

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

100pct I've never met Jho Low - law firm partner testifies

1MDB trial: Jho wanted Arab letters to be secret - witness

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

Court of Appeal upholds jail time for Lokman in contempt case

Apex court to hear Najib’s bid to quash guilty verdict in SRC case in January

I never met Najib directly over his account: Ex-PM's banker

Najib’s ex-banker: Jho Low introduced to me two years before 1MDB

Ex-AmBank MD reiterates Jho Low introduced him to Najib

1MDB trial: Judge warns Najib’s lawyers over delay to cross-examine witnesses