PUTRAJAYA (March 4): 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) has yet to sign-off on a solicitor-client privilege waiver, which would enable two former lawyers of the sovereign wealth fund to testify in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1MDB-Tanore trial. 

Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah informed presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Tuesday that he had written to the prosecution in the case to seek permission for the two yet-unnamed lawyers to testify in Najib’s defence. 

Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Ahmad Akram Gharib had then informed the court that the waiver had yet to be signed by the management of 1MDB. 

Akram said that the 1MDB board would be holding a meeting later, on Tuesday afternoon, to deliberate on signing the waiver. 

He said that Treasury secretary general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, who is also currently 1MDB chairman, will decide on its signing.

Sequerah then told both parties to let him know if the waiver would be signed on Tuesday, so that he could expedite the trial, which has been ongoing for six years. 

“Let me know tomorrow if it’s not done today, so I can make whatever orders necessary at my disposal to expedite the trial. I don’t think I am keen to wait for anyone there to put their pen to signature, to hold up this trial which is of public interest,” said Sequerah. 

Earlier in the morning session, the court heard testimony from former 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Che Lodin Wok Kamaruddin, testifying as the 12th defence witness for Najib, who had denied that he was Najib’s proxy on the 1MDB board during his tenure. 

Lodin was replying to cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar.

Kamal: I suggest to you that you were actually a proxy of Najib in 1MDB, to ensure all dubious transactions can be carried out. Do you agree? 

Lodin: I disagree. 

In this trial, Najib faces four abuse of power and 21 money-laundering charges.

The trial continues on Wednesday.