KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here was told that Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak (pix) regarded news reports about RM42 million being deposited into his personal bank accounts as damaging to his reputation and career.
Former 1Malaysia People’s Foundation (YR1M) chief executive officer Ung Su Ling, 51, said Najib mentioned the matter to her when she met him after the press reported that SRC International Sdn Bhd’s money had allegedly made its way into his personal accounts back in 2015.
Under cross-examination by Najib’s lawyer Harvinderjit Singh as the 49th prosecution witness in the former prime minister’s SRC trial today which entered its 39th day, she said her meeting with Najib was not immediate.
Harvinderjit: Did you meet Najib soon after?
Ung: I wouldn’t say so soon. Later on in the year, yes. Yes, I met Najib.
Harvinderjit: My understanding was that Najib was shocked that this money in his account was from Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB)? He didn’t know the money was from IPSB?
Ung: I’m not exactly sure what he said. What he did say was that it was very damaging to his reputation and his career. And yes, he said he didn’t know that this money was being transferred. But I don’t know or remember him saying that he didn’t know the money was from IPSB.
Ung said she also apologised to Najib after knowing that the account she was directed to transfer the RM42 million into was Najib’s account. She also offered her resignation from YR1M.
IPSB managing director Datuk Dr Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman, who was the 37th prosecution witness earlier testified that Najib was “shocked and upset” upon being told that somebody had deposited money into his personal bank accounts.
Shamsul Anwar said Najib did not ask him to lodge a report to police or to Malaysian Anti–Corruption Commission (MACC) pertaining to the fund transfer transactions.
Ung also told the court that she met businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low between 2000 or 2001 when he was a student at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
She said Jho Low once told her that he wanted to return to Malaysia to work after completing his studies.
“This was a long time ago so it may not be accurate. He was doing some business which he started, some dotcom company, which he then sold off. He was looking to do similar kind of start–ups. I was introduced to him to see how he can find venture capital opportunities,” she said.
Harvinderjit also asked the witness about her stint at Lotus Asset Management and whether the firm had managed Jho Low’s money.
She said the firm never managed money for Jho Low.
Ung worked at Lotus Asset Management before joining Wynton Group in 2004 with three individuals.
Najib, 66, is charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.
The hearing before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues. — Bernama
