This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on October 11, 2019 - October 17, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) had pre-empted Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi (pic) that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would question the fugitive businessman’s role in Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), the precursor of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), and raise the issue of the purported misrepresentation of the palace by “a certain individual”.

Shahrol, who was the former 1MDB and TIA chief executive officer (CEO), testified this in the High Court yesterday when he was cross-examined by lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah as the prosecution’s ninth witness.

According to previous witness Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, in 2009, a representative of Istana Negara had refuted Jho Low’s claim that he was an adviser to the Agong, who was then Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu.

Based on the document produced by the defence, the minutes of a meeting on June 30, 2009 show that Istana Negara representatives questioned who Jho Low was and what role he played.

The palace was recorded as having raised the concern as it was worried that certain quarters might have misused the King’s name.

However, Shahrol admitted that he did not take it upon himself to find out about Jho Low when concerns were raised about his role as it would appear that the latter may have conflicted himself.

Muhammad Shafee: Did you ask for any explanation [about Jho Low’s claim to represent the Sultan]? You did not say anything to the [representative] of Istana Negara?

Shahrol: No.

Muhammad Shafee: Why is that?

Shahrol: I don’t remember ... it was not a surprise to me that the Terengganu side would call [the matter] into question.

Muhammad Shafee: This was the representative from the Istana, directly from the YDPA (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) no less, asking who is Jho Low and what is he representing. You would assume that this is from an order of the YDPA.

At that time, didn’t it cross your mind, “What has Jho Low been doing? He presented to all of us that he is the YDPA’s representative”.

Shahrol: Because right before this meeting, Jho had already informed me to expect something like this.

Muhammad Shafee: Oh, he told you to expect this? So when Jho Low told you to expect this, you didn’t think it was very wise of you to at least find out what were they talking about and explain the situation? You are the CEO, you know.

Shahrol: I saw this as a shareholders’ matter, to be resolved between the shareholders. And up to that point, I was confident that Jho Low was representing one of the special shareholders which is Datuk Seri Najib [Razak].

Shahrol went on to describe Jho Low as Najib’s consigliere — an Italian mafia term which means a person who serves as an adviser or counsellor to the leader of a criminal organisation.

Addressing Shahrol’s inaction on the matter, Muhammad Shafee hit back at Shahrol, describing him with another Italian term, soprammobili, which means table ornament.

“You never confirmed with Datuk Seri Najib. What was the Italian word that you said? Consigliere? But as the CEO, you seem to be what the Italians say soprammobili. A table ornament. And nothing more. You are someone who has no use ... merely a decoration. That’s what you are. Do you agree?” Muhammad Shafee said, to which Shahrol disagreed.

In the 1MDB-Tanore trial, Najib is facing 25 counts of abuse of power and money laundering in relation to funds that allegedly came from 1MDB.