The Malaysian Insight

THE prosecution’s 57th and final witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Rosli Husain will return to the witness stand as former prime minister Najib Razak’s SRC International trial enters its 53rd day today.

Rosli is expected to go through the documents seized by Bank Negara during its raid of AmBank’s Raja Chulan branch in Kuala Lumpur on July 5, 2015.

The bank held Najib’s personal accounts and SRC International’s company accounts.

When examined by prosecutors yesterday, Rosli told the court that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho and former SRC International CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil had promised to return to Malaysia and assist in the investigations after their statements were taken overseas.

Low was questioned in Abu Dhabi on November 27, 2015, while Nik Faisal was questioned twice in Jakarta in October, 2015. Both men are still at large.

Low had left Malaysia on May 29, 2015, while Nik Faisal left the country on May 7, 2018, two days before the 14th general election.

Immigration Department placed both men on a travel blacklist on May 14 last year, with arrest warrants issued on May 22.

Interpol red notices were issued on June 11, 2018 for the duo as well as SRC International-linked suspects Mohamed Redzuan Adamshah and Toh Lean Seng.

Their passports were cancelled on June 14, 2018.

MACC also issued arrest warrants and alerted Interpol over red notices for Low’s associates, former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) finance director Terence Geh, Eric Tan, 1MDB executive director of business development Casey Tang and Jasmine Loo.

Geh and Tang left on the eve the 14th general election on May 8, 2018. Loo left on May 17, 2018.

Tan left on May 12, 2015, two weeks before Low fled, the court heard yesterday.

Rosli told the court the red notice was issued in Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and China. 

Najib’s charges are linked to RM4 billion in loans issued to SRC International in 2011 and 2012, for which he is accused of receiving RM42 million in his accounts in 2014 and 2015.

The 66-year-old is charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money-laundering and one count of abuse of power. He faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted.

Najib’s legal team is led by prominent Umno lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas leads the prosecution while Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali presides.

The Malaysian Insight brings you today’s proceedings live:

9.56am: Lawyers will be present at 10am Monday before Nazlan, after seeking an indication from high court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, the presiding 1MDB trial judge, whether the latter would give up 1MDB hearing dates to give way for the SRC International trial.

Court has been adjourned.

9.53am: Nazlan says the court has no choice but to adjourn the matter and for it to be called for case management on Monday.

9.45am: Shafee tells the court that Najib is not present due to conjunctivitis in both eyes, and has been given a medical certificate until Friday.

Sithambaram says he has been provided with pictures of Najib’s condition and the certificate.

9.40am: Proceedings have been delayed as Najib is not at court.

But his lead counsel Shafee and ad hoc public prosecutor V. Sithambaram are present. – August 14, 2019.