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KUALA LUMPUR – Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has denied attending any meetings in 2009 involving some of the key individuals named in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) financial scandal.
This is after former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner told a US court that he had been invited to a meeting on Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) – before it became 1MDB – that involved Tengku Zafrul, who was then Kenanga Investment Bank director.
Among others who were also invited, Leissner alleged, were Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, and Kenanga group managing director Datuk Ramli Ismail.
In a brief Facebook post today, Tengku Zafrul refuted suggestions that he was at the meeting.
“I would like to categorically confirm that I have never attended any meeting pertaining to TIA in 2009 with Sultan Terengganu and the other individuals mentioned.”
In an accompanying image, the finance minister said: “Tim Leissner’s statement about my involvement is not true.”
Earlier today, Free Malaysia Today had reported that Tengku Zafrul’s name had been mentioned by Leissner in the ongoing trial of his former colleague Roger Ng in New York.
He had told the court that he was invited to a high-level meeting on TIA.
It was reported that Leissner had acknowledged an email from Ng about the meeting, in which the latter informed him of others who would be present.
The report added that Leissner had testified in court saying the meeting was held to allow Sultan Mizan “to meet people from the banks”.
Leissner, however, told prosecutors that he was unsure if Tengku Zafrul was then with Kenanga or if the bank wanted to be a joint adviser along with Goldman Sachs on the TIA deal. – The Vibes, March 3, 2022