KUALA LUMPUR: A former special officer to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak (pix) told the High Court here today that he did not prepare the report of his China trip in June 2016 for the former prime minister, and instead it was fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, who did it.
Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, 43, said the report titled “Update On China-Malaysia Economic Program: 18 July 2016” was shared with Najib, and he updated the former premier as soon as he came back from the meeting because he was personally sent as Najib’s special envoy.
He said this when cross-examined by Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on the ninth day of the former premier’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s trial (1MDB).
The eighth prosecution witness, in his previous testimony, told the court he had received the document either from Jho Low via email or personally from 1MDB former director Terence Geh.
Muhammad Shafee: You didn’t write your name or Jho Low’s name. There is no author of the report?
Amhari Efendi: No.
Muhammad Shafee: Why is that?
Amhari Efendi: Because it is clear there is only three of us (himself, Jho Low, Terence) involved in this mission..so it is very clear that it came from Jho Low. Datuk Seri Najib knows.
Muhammad Shafee: You said this document originated from Jho Low. How did you obtain it?
Amhari Efendi: Through email.
Muhammad Shafee: Your verbal claim is that you showed the document to the PM and it was prepared by Jho Low. He (Najib) sent you to China as his special envoy, are you saying you did not prepare any report?
Amhari Efendi: Correct.
Muhammad Shafee: Did you ask him (PM) to read?
Amhari Efendi: I explained to him the first part where there was a suggestion to change the sector board from private to public regarding several projects which was discussed during the China trip.
Muhammad Shafee: You gave Najib this copy?
Amhari Efendi: I gave him a copy, then I believe he returned it back to me.
The court also heard that information from Amhari Efendi was the reason why the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided Low’s residence at Jalan Kia Peng, here after he was arrested by the MACC sometime during the Syawal month in 2018, after the 14th general election.
Recalling the incident, the key witness said he went for a meeting in Jho Low’s house regarding Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) in late 2008 or early 2009.
Muhammad Shafee: Do you know his house before this?
Amhari Efendi: No
Muhammad Shafee: Is it apartment Number 3 Kia Peng or Apartment number 3, Kia Peng?
Amhari Efendi: I think the apartment is named Number 3 Kia Peng
Muhammad Shafee: The actual house number you can’t remember but you led the MACC there?
Amhari Efendi: I had disclosed about the whiteboard drawing in Jho Low’s house in Kia Peng.
The witness said he had visited Low’s home twice and was brought to the kitchen in the house where the whiteboard which was used by Jho Low during discussions on TIA was situated.
“I was detained by the MACC not too long after I came back from my trips to Thailand and Cambodia with my family in July last year,” he added.
The witness agreed with Muhammad Shafee’s suggestion that the white board was extraordinary as it could directly print out sketches by pressing the button.
Najib, 66, is facing four charges of abusing his position to corruptly obtain RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering related to the money.
The Pekan MP allegedly committed the four offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Jalan Raja Chulan branch, Bukit Ceylon here between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014, and the 21 charges, between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013, at the same place.
The trial before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow. — Bernama
