The Malaysian Insight

NAJIB Razak removed former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail as he had “lost trust” in him, the 1MDB audit tampering trial heard today.

Former chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa said this when questioned during his examination-in-chief by senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram.

Gani served as attorney-general from January 1, 2002 until July 27, 2015. It was Ali who announced that Gani’s tenure was discontinued due to health reasons.

Gani was heading the multi-agency task force investigating the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.

Najib is accused of using his position to remove parts of the final 1MDB audit report between February 22 and February 26, 2016, at the Prime Minister’s Department before it was tabled to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to protect himself from criminal action.

Ali, the prosecution’s fourth witness, was asked who was the attorney-general then. He replied it was Mohamed Apandi Ali. The witness was then asked what happened to Apandi’s predecessor.

Ali: There’s was a loss of trust by the prime minister in Gani Patail.

Sri Ram: Do you know why? Don’t worry, you can speak. This is a court of law.

Ali: When I handed over the letter to Tan Sri Gani Patail, telling him he would be released from the A-G’s post, he said he expected this to happen.

Ali testified that it was a two-stage process to sack Gani. First, a letter to the king informing his majesty of the termination, followed by a letter from Najib to Gani.

Ali: I was called by prime minister to sign the letter and give it to Tan Sri Gani and tell him to vacate his post, and not to take any documents out of the office.

Ali also then testified on the events that led to the sacking of Muhyiddin Yassin as deputy prime minister.

Sri Ram: Do you know what led to the loss of trust (in Gani)?

Ali: In the cabinet at the time, there were some issues with the deputy prime minister then, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. I was informed by the prime minister that Gani and Muhyiddin met at a shopping centre somewhere in Kuala Lumpur while shopping. That’s one thing that may have been an issue. Tan Sri Muhyiddin did ask a lot of questions and raise issues about 1MDB at a cabinet meeting.

Sri Ram: How did the accused react to those questions?

Ali: He (Najib) was calm at the cabinet meeting. Some answers were given by him, some were given by the second finance minister (Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah at the time).

Sri Ram: What happened to Muhyiddin Yassin after he asked all those questions?

Ali: I think he was removed from the post.

In his witness statement, read out in court today, Ali said he had been instructed by Najib to convene an inter-departmental government meeting to discuss removing portions of the 1MDB audit report to be presented to PAC.

Present at the meeting were then 1MDB chief executive Arul Kanda Kandasamy, and representatives from the National Audit Department, Treasury, Attorney-General’s Chambers and Prime Minister’s Office.

Najib and Arul Kanda sat in the dock today. They were represented by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and N. Sivanathan, respectively.

Both claimed trial when charges were filed against them on December 18 last year. Arul Kanda was charged with abetting the former prime minister.

The trial, before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, continues. – November 19, 2019.