The Malaysian Insight

NAJIB Razak fully backed Low Taek Jho and placed the fugitive financier in 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) operations, the former prime minister’s aide testified at the 1MDB trial today.

Najib’s former special officer Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that years of working closely with Low had taught him that the Penang-born businessman had the trust and support of Najib as well as Rosmah Mansor.

“There were enough occasions throughout my time working with Najib to establish that after every time I double-checked instructions from Jho Low with Najib, Jho Low had the prime minister’s backing.

“And when there were differences of opinions, such as between (former 1MDB CEO) Arul Kanda and Jho Low, Najib will side with Jho Low.

“After enough instances, from my experience and observations of Najib’s behaviour and words, I concluded that whenever Jho Low spoke, it was with the full backing of Najib,” Amhari said when re-examined by senior ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram.

As to who placed Jho Low in the position where he was, Amhari said it was Najib.

The former prime minister is on trial for four counts of power abuse to enrich himself with RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.  

During cross-examination this afternoon, Sri Ram also raised the defence’s contention that Jho Low was a conman who purposely arrived late to the secret meetings with Amhari and Najib’s principal private secretary Azlin Alias held at Prince Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Sri Ram: It was put to you that Jho Low was a confidence trickster. It was put to you that he purposely dressed in a batik shirt and he was huffing and puffing and said he had just met Najib.

Amhari: Yes.

Sri Ram: It was put to you that you never warned the accused of suspicions of Jho Low? Why didn’t you warn the accused?

Amhari: I believed there was no need to, because we have previously cross-checked and verified Jho Low’s instructions with Najib. It was always endorsed by Najib.

Sri Ram: In one of your meetings, Rosmah called Jho Low. How did you know that it was her?

Amhari: She has a unique voice. I knew it was her, I was familiar with her voice. Jho Low also told me it was her. I have spoken to her also.

Sri Ram: Do you remember you said that she spoke fondly of Jho Low – when was that?

Amhari: This was at a Hari Raya recording shooting. Jho Low wasn’t there. I can’t remember how, but I had the opportunity to speak with Datin Seri and somehow she raised his name and I said, “Yes, I’ve met him,” and Datin Seri said, “Yes, he is very obliging, isn’t he?” And I said, “Yes.”

The 43-year-old witness also testified that Low travelled to New York and London “two or three times” with Najib and Rosmah. 

Najib still dealt with Low even after alleged duplicity

Sri Ram also raised another contention by the defence – that Low allegedly cheated Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud’s son Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib in a deal involving Utama Banking Group Bhd (UBG) in 2008.

Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, in arguing that his client was manipulated by Low, had previously suggested that Low’s alleged duplicity in the UBG deal was a matter of public knowledge.

Sri Ram: After it was public knowledge that Jho Low was a conman, that he played a confidence trick with Taib Mahmud, did the accused (Najib) continue to deal with him?

Amhari: Yes.

Sri Ram then informed the court that he has only a few questions left for Amhari, who will be recalled to the stand when the trial continues on Monday.

Najib faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if found guilty. The 66-year-old is represented by a dozen lawyers led by Shafee.

Sri Ram, a former Federal Court justice, leads the prosecution while Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah presides. – September 19, 2019.