Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak testified in court, defending his actions during the 1MDB investigation and denying any misuse of funds or wrongdoing. Addressing a phone call transcript presented by the prosecution, Najib maintained that it was not improper for him, as the sitting prime minister, to receive updates from the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) probe into the 1MDB scandal.
During the trial, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib cited a recorded conversation from January 2016, where former AGC official Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad updated Najib on the investigation. Najib confirmed the conversation occurred but insisted he did not interfere with the probe. “I did not interfere, I only listened,” he said, disagreeing with the prosecutor’s claim that his actions were inappropriate for a sitting prime minister. Najib dismissed suggestions that his interest in the investigation stemmed from a personal connection to 1MDB.
The court was also presented with evidence of Dzulkifli’s role during the investigation and subsequent appointment as MACC chief in mid-2016. When questioned about changes in MACC leadership during the same period, Najib denied orchestrating any removals, including the departure of Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, who was replaced by Dzulkifli. Najib rejected the notion that these changes were linked to the 1MDB investigation or aimed at influencing outcomes.
Another key focus of the trial was Najib’s association with financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, a central figure in the 1MDB scandal. Despite multiple warnings about Low’s alleged misconduct between 2009 and 2015, Najib denied shielding Low or facilitating his involvement in 1MDB. He explained that Low was not formally associated with the fund due to potential conflicts of interest, given his ties to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Prosecutors suggested Low acted as an intermediary for illicit transactions, an allegation Najib vehemently denied.
The court also revisited Najib’s 2015 parliamentary statement denying any link between Low and 1MDB. Prosecutors argued this was a deliberate attempt to mislead and protect Low, but Najib countered that his response was based on official information at the time. He further rejected claims that he had used funds from his personal accounts for political survival or that 1MDB was established as a political funding tool for Barisan Nasional and Umno.
Throughout the proceedings, Najib consistently denied any misuse of funds, asserting that the money in his accounts was not from 1MDB or illegal sources. He also refuted allegations of personal enrichment or spending the money for his own benefit. Despite mounting evidence, Najib maintained his innocence, reiterating his lack of knowledge regarding 1MDB’s illicit dealings.
Information Source: Malay Mail
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