Former KWAP chief executive officer Azian Mohd Noh arrives at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex May 28, 2019. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s former special officer had in 2011 personally handed over a letter for a RM3.95 billion loan application from 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) CEO said today.
Datuk Azian Mohd Noh, who was CEO of civil servants’ pension fund KWAP from March 2007 to March 2013, said the 2011 letter had contained Najib’s handwritten note of approval.
Azian, 66, said she had in June 2011 received the letter directly from the late Datuk Azlin Alias, who was then the special officer for ex-prime minister Najib.
“I know the late Datuk Azlin Alias as the prime minister’s special officer as I had dealings with him previously,” she told the High Court today.
Azian said Azlin’s office had contacted her to meet him at the lobby of a hotel in KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur, and that she had done so at night after office hours.
“There, I received the letter by hand from the late Datuk Azlin Alias. I confirm receiving the original letter from the late Datuk Azlin Alias.
“I was informed by the late Datuk Azlin Alias that the prime minister at that time, namely Datuk Seri Najib has agreed with the proposed application from SRC and I was referred to the note on the letter which Datuk Azlin Alias informed had been made by Datuk Seri Najib himself,” she said.
Azian is the 38th witness for the prosecution in Najib’s trial over charges of abuse of position, criminal breach of trust of RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd’s funds.
Azian said the letter she received in June 2011 was signed off by SRC International director Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, with the letter addressed to Najib as the prime minister and finance minister then.
Azian said the letter to Najib was SRC International’s letter to apply for a RM3.95 billion loan from KWAP for the purposes of working capital and general investment.
“On the letter dated June 3, 2011, there was a handwritten note and the signature of prime minister Datuk Seri Najib that was addressed to me as KWAP CEO and stating ‘Agree with this proposal’ and dated June 5, 2011.
“According to my understanding, the note ‘Agree with this proposal’ meant the prime minister agreed for KWAP to give the loan to SRC,” she added.
The trial before High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali resumes tomorrow.
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