KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 5): Despite being the then chairman of 1Malaysia Development Bhd's (1MDB) board of advisers and also the Minister of Finance Incorporated's (MOF Inc) sole company shareholder, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak claims to have never set foot in the company's office.
"No, I have never set foot in 1MDB's office, either on Feb 9, 2012, or at any other time," Najib said while on the stand testifying in his defence in the ongoing 1MDB-Tanore trial on Thursday.
As the then finance minister, 1MDB came directly under Najib’s purview.
Also, in accordance with 1MDB's memorandum and articles of association, Najib was accorded decision-making powers within the company, given his post as the then prime minister.
The 71-year-old was testifying on the second of four abuse of power charges levelled against him in this trial.
On the second charge, Najib is accused of taking active steps to gratify himself with RM90,899,927.28 (US$30 million).
The monies, which can be traced back to the “Aabar BVI” phase of the 1MDB scandal, involved the issuance of two separate bonds by 1MDB through its wholly owned subsidiaries 1MDB Energy Ltd (1MEL) and 1MDB Energy (Langat) Ltd (1MELL) in 2012.
These two transactions concerned the acquisition of two independent power producers, namely Tanjong Energy Holdings Sdn Bhd and Mastika Lagenda Sdn Bhd. Mastika owned 75% of shares in Genting Sanyen Sdn Bhd.
To make the transactions, 1MDB acted through 1MEL, 1MELL, and 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd.
Najib's answer is related to the first limb of the second charge, where he is accused of giving approval for 1MDB Energy to submit a binding bid to acquire Tanjong Energy for RM10.6 billion on 1MDB’s premises on Feb 9, 2012.
Najib's defence team has been trying to establish that the ex-PM was never present on the premises, at which the offences he has been charged with took place.
Earlier this week, Najib also testified that he had never set foot in the AmBank branch at Jalan Raja Chulan, which housed his numerous personal bank accounts that received the funds.
Najib has maintained that he opened the accounts in anticipation of receiving donations promised to him by Middle Eastern royals.
Read also:
Najib: RM60 mil in my account was from two Arab princes
1MDB-Tanore: Najib says nothing ‘sinister’ about meeting with ex-Goldman CEO in 2009
Najib: ‘Slightly pudgy young man’ Jho Low was never appointed as my go-between for 1MDB matters
Najib received US$30m from 1MDB funds in 2012, says BNM analyst