Report showed Najib used US$681m bribe to buy votes, court hears

1MDB Trial | Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak received US$681 million worth of bribes in his bank account which was used to buy votes for the 13th general election in 2013, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard.

MACC investigating officer Nur Aida Arifin testified that this was the information contained in a report lodged on May 4, 2015.

“The report stated that information was received that in 2013, then prime minister Najib via his account at AmBank Berhad (called) AmPrivate Banking 694 had received money of at least US$681 million from Tanore Corporation via Falcon Private Bank Singapore, where it was suspected that the money is bribe money used by Najib to buy votes in the run-up to GE13.

“This report was made for investigation under Section 16 MACC Act 2009. The report was written by senior assistant enforcer Hanif Awaludin,” Nur Aida testified during the 1MDB corruption trial against Najib.

However, it should be noted that multiple parts of Nur Aida’s 95-page witness statement attracted objection to hearsay by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, which the criminal court duly noted before allowing the witness to proceed with her testimony.

Nur Aida told trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that another report was lodged on May 17, 2018, concerning the information of Najib having received RM3.217 billion of public funds which were investment monies by 1MDB.

The 49th prosecution witness said that in total, over RM3.63 billion was placed into Najib's 694 as well as 880 accounts between 2011 and 2013 in four phases.

The RM2.27 billion

Nur Aida's testimony seeks to corroborate the previous testimony of Bank Negara analyst Adam Ariff Mohd Roslan, who testified that Najib received over RM2.27 billion of 1MDB proceeds from 2011 and 2014.

Adam said the fund flows took place over four phases, namely the Good Star phase, the Aabar-BVI phase, the Tanore phase, and the options buyback phase.

Proceedings before Sequerah continues this afternoon.

Najib is on trial over four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.27 billion from 1MDB, a sovereign wealth fund fully owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).

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

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

Najib’s ‘don’t audit’ letter

Meanwhile, during today’s contentious trial that saw multiple interruptions by Najib’s defence team with their numerous hearsay objections, Nur Aida testified that the former premier issued a letter on Dec 22, 2009, stating there is no need for the auditor-general to audit 1MDB.

The witness explained that her investigation showed that the accused overridden a proposal by the treasury secretary-general for 1MDB to perform due diligence, following the fund’s acquisition by the federal government from the Terengganu state government in 2009 (the fund was known as the Terengganu Investment Authority when under state hands).

“However, on Dec 22, 2009, Najib issued a letter stating there is no need for the auditor-general to audit 1MDB, as 1MDB ought to be audited by an outside professional auditor appointed by the board of directors.

“In line with this directive, the 1MDB board then appointed professional auditor Messrs Ernst & Young to audit 1MDB’s financial statement,” Nur Aida said.

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