This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 17, 2022 - October 23, 2022

GOING by the testimony of AmBank executives at the trial of Datuk Seri Najib Razak in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore case, no one appeared particularly keen to approach the former prime minister for his signature as was required of a new customer — who was then the country’s most powerful individual.

Despite being the former group managing director of AMMB Holdings Bhd, Cheah Tek Kuang claimed to be generally uncomfortable around VIPs. Therefore, when he was requested by a relationship manager at the bank to meet with Najib to facilitate the opening of his bank accounts, Cheah said he had hoped that his superior, AmBank co-founder and chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim, would go instead.

The prosecution’s 39th witness in the ongoing 1MDB-Tanore trial, where Najib is charged with misappropriating RM2.28 billion of the strategic development company’s funds, 75-year-old Cheah had been testifying intermittently since Oct 4.

He recounted that in January 2011, former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping informed him that Najib wanted to open a current account at the bank. But Yu felt that her rank at the bank didn’t warrant a direct meeting with the former premier and she asked for Cheah’s assistance to facilitate the account opening. This primarily concerned getting Najib’s signatures on certain documents.

Cheah was also of the view that, notwithstanding his rank, it would have been more appropriate for his superior Azman to meet with Najib instead.

During cross-examination by lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Cheah said he was hoping that Azman would agree to meet Najib to get the necessary paperwork done. “He may have spoken to Najib before and it may be easier. For me, it was the first time.”

However, Azman declined to meet with Najib and instructed Cheah to do so instead.

Left with no choice, Cheah had a meeting with Najib that he said lasted about five minutes. However, he couldn’t recall the time and date of the meeting, which took place at Najib’s private residence in Jalan Langgak Duta.

He said that after engaging in some small talk, Najib signed the documents and informed Cheah that US$100 million from Saudi Arabia would be coming into the account.

Already nervous, Cheah did not ask about the potential incoming funds. He added that Najib had volunteered the information, stating that it was a donation to him from Saudi Arabia in line with “Islamic activity”.

During re-examination by lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, Cheah testified that he left immediately after the meeting.

Sri Ram: You said you were nervous?

Cheah: I generally feel uncomfortable around VIPs.

Sri Ram: After [signing the documents] you left?

Cheah: Ya, I ‘cabut’ (left) already.

Cheah also testified that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) was present at Najib’s residence that day. He told the court last week that Jho Low had introduced him to Najib at the latter’s house before the meeting.

However, Cheah — who admitted that he didn’t remember the specifics as the meeting occurred many years ago and his memory was “not so good” at his age — gave several reiterations of Jho Low’s presence at the meeting.

Two weeks ago, Cheah testified that he was picked up by a driver to go to Najib’s home. He testified that there was a convoy of “two or three” cars as well and Jho Low was in one of those cars. Cheah said he and Jho Low did not speak to each other at Najib’s home as the latter had gone to another room.

Sri Ram also queried if he saw Jho Low after the documents were signed. To this, Cheah said: “I didn’t know where he was. I presume he was in the house.”

In this trial, Najib is charged with four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB funds.

The trial before High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Nov 7.

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