KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today was told that the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) board of directors (BOD) did not know about the US$700 million loan agreement signed by the 1MDB-PetroSaudi International Ltd joint venture company (JVC) in 2009, prior to the actual joint venture agreement between both sovereign wealth funds.
Former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, 49, who disclosed the matter however, said that he was not involved in the discussions of the particular loan agreement deal.
He was cross-examined by Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, on the 25th day of the former premier’s 1MDB trial.
Muhammad Shafee: The board never knew of this agreement entered into on Sept 29 2009, prior to the JV agreement?
Shahrol Azral: Correct.
Muhammad Shafee: If this loan agreement had been presented to the board, they would not have agreed to the terms? Shahorl Azral replied “I would agree with that”.
When asked why he did not check the matter with Najib, the ninth prosecution witness said the whole thing was managed by Casey Tang (1MDB executive director) and he assumed Casey with his superior experience, would ensure everything was in order.
To another question, the witness agreed that he has never actually seen the loan agreement during his tenure at 1MDB from 2009 until 2016.
“I was shown this document (agreement) during the investigation, I can’t remember whether I saw it in 2009,“ he added.
Najib, 66, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
Hearing before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Thursday. — Bernama
