I used Jho Low to help M'sia financially, Najib says

Summary

• Najib Abdul Razak testifies that businessperson Low Taek Jho had certain contacts in China that could help the ex-prime minister’s then-special officer Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin.

• He was replying to the prosecution pointing out that Low has a negative reputation linked to 1MDB.

1MDB TRIAL | Najib Abdul Razak has testified that he sought Low Taek Jho (Jho Low)’s assistance to help Malaysia financially despite the fugitive businessperson’s negative reputation.

The ex-prime minister told the High Court in Putrajaya this afternoon why he relied on Low to help his then-special officer Amhari Efendi Nazarudin on a trip to China in June 2016.

During today’s RM2.27 billion 1MDB abuse of power and money laundering trial against him, Najib testified that it was due to Low’s close contacts with Chinese officials.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib was cross-examining the accused on seeking Low’s help despite his bad reputation, such as photos of champagne-laden parties with Hollywood socialites.

Akram: Why did you want Low to assist Amhari?

Najib: I wanted help to generate wealth for Malaysia as soon as possible. He (Low) has contacts there (in China) and hence we used him, but not to get China to settle 1MDB’s debt.

Akram: You sought him to help Amhari in China?

Najib: As long as the project benefits Malaysia, such as the ECRL (East Coast Rail Link) project with China.

Akram: You sought Low’s help?

Najib: Yes.

Akram: As prime minister and the nation’s leader, why did you use Low, a person who allegedly embezzled 1MDB funds, to help (Amhari)?

Najib: No, my intent was to generate economic opportunity for Malaysia, that is all. The project would benefit us.

Akram: We have an ambassador in China, why use Low?

Najib: No, he has certain relations with certain people (in China), hence I wanted help.

Najib, who is also a former finance minister, explained that he wanted Low to help Amhari collect as much money as possible.

No secret mission

Previously, Najib batted off the prosecution’s claim that he sent Amhari on a secret mission to China on June 28 and 29, 2016, to get the country to settle the debts of Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB and its former subsidiary SRC International.

The accused explained that Amhari went to China to gauge the country's potential interest in making infrastructure investments in Malaysia via ECRL and gas pipeline projects in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.

Amhari was one of 50 witnesses who testified against Najib.

The ex-prime minister’s legal team claimed that Amhari was a corrupt official who received bribes from Low.

Najib also rubbished Akram's contention that he relied on Low's help due to pressure from Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Corporation (IPIC) to obtain US$1.2 billion in debt from 1MDB.

This was in relation to the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund then having defaulted on its bonds purchased by IPIC.

The two state-owned corporations later tried to settle the matter through a London arbitration court.

‘US DOJ allegations unproven’

Najib also testified that the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) 2016 announcement - of having filed a lawsuit to seize assets it said were bought with more than US$3.5 billion embezzled from 1MDB - was riddled with unproven allegations.

The ex-premier testified that the DOJ report was not comprehensive and did not take into account the alleged role of IPIC among other entities.

"I was never charged in American (court), the DOJ allegations are not proven," Najib said, lamenting that its announcement then was unfair.

In the 2016 press conference by then US attorney-general Loretta Elizabeth Lynch, it was announced that Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) was involved in the matter.

Six years and still going

On Oct 30 last year, Najib was ordered to defend himself against four abuse of power and 21 money laundering charges involving RM2.27 billion from 1MDB.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ruled that the prosecution succeeded in establishing a prima facie (answerable) case against Najib over the Minister of Finance Incorporated’s (MOF Inc) wholly owned company.

The judge ruled that Najib had to answer the charges due to the strength of 50 witness testimonies in the prosecution stage of proceedings that lasted six years since the trial began in 2019. The accused was first charged in 2018.

Since the prima facie ruling, Najib has been testifying in his defence against the 1MDB criminal charges.

The accused maintained that he had no knowledge of wrongdoing at 1MDB and that Low and management members masterminded the embezzlement at the fund.

He is also relying on the defence that he was led to believe he would receive a donation from Arab royalty over his contribution to the Islamic world.

Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah led Najib’s defence team.

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