Loo continues to sing like a canary in 1MDB hearing

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Jasmine Loo said she had never entered Najib Razak’s private residence when she had to hand over or receive documents from Jho Low.

Loo continues to sing like a canary in 1MDB hearing

Update3

Jho Low made my life a living hell, ex-1MDB lawyer tells court

Jasmine Loo says Jho Low ‘swore my life would have a terrible end’ if she returned to Malaysia after exiting the country before GE14.

V Anbalagan - 14 Feb 2024, 5:23pm

Former 1MDB lawyer Jasmine Loo said Jho Low sent her about US$2,500 once every eight or nine months for living expenses when she lived in Bangkok.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former 1MDB lawyer Jasmine Loo told the High Court today that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, had made her life a “living hell”.

At Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial, Loo said she lived in Bangkok for five years and feared for her life.

“Low, through a stranger, sent me about US$2,500 once every eight or nine months for living expenses.

“Life was deplorable because of Low, who was bent on making my life a living hell,” she said when answering a question from deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan.

Loo said she left the country before the May 2018 general election, when Barisan Nasional led by Najib was ousted from power.

“Low instructed me to get out of the country and promised to resolve things and said he needed some time. But he swore my life would have a terrible end if I returned to Malaysia,” she added.

Loo also said she never had the intention of fleeing to Bangkok but was finding a safe passage home.

“I was always fearful for my safety when in Bangkok after seeing what happened to Xavier Justo. So I complied with Low’s instruction,” she said.

Loo, a protected witness, said she returned to Malaysia last year and received no threat to her life.

She added that she sought legal advice from her lawyers in 2021 and later sent a letter to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Earlier, in her witness statement, she said Low had instructed a business associate to prepare a letter, purportedly from Prince Saud, saying that a donation from an Arab royal family had been deposited into Najib’s accounts.

Loo said Low had asked the late Kee Kok Thiam to prepare the document.

Kee was investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly receiving funds swindled from 1MDB and SRC International.

He disappeared in 2018 but reappeared at Terminal 2, KLIA on May 3, 2023. However, he died shortly after, on May 29.

Loo said she met Low in early 2015 in a room at the Business Centre Hotel in Mayfair, London, where the instructions for the letter were given.

“I saw Kee, Shamsul (Anwar Sulaiman) and Dennis See in the room. Shamsul was asking what the ‘way out’ was for the money that entered into Najib’s accounts,” she said.

Shamsul, the Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd managing director, was a prosecution witness in the SRC International case, which saw Najib being convicted and sentenced, while See was project director at Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, which was linked to Ihsan Perdana.

Loo said Shamsul spoke about how the public was discussing the 1MDB money being funnelled into Najib’s accounts.

“Low then instructed Kee to prepare a letter purportedly from Prince Saud (saying) that the money was a donation from the Arab royal family,” she said.

In his opening statement on Aug 28, 2019, the late Gopal Sri Ram, the lead prosecutor in the case at the time, said that after news of the 1MDB scandal broke in early July 2015, Najib and “his mirror image, Jho Low” took steps to cover their tracks.

“Sham documents were produced to pretend (that) a donation (had been received) from an Arab prince. Among these were letters and four cheques, each for a sum of US$25 million, purportedly written out by a person said to be the Arab donor,” he said.

Najib is facing 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power over alleged 1MDB funds in his AmBank accounts.

The hearing before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah has been adjourned to Friday.

Update2

MALAYSIA

Jho Low claimed to have proof he acted on Najib's instructions - Jasmine Loo

Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, 50, said Jho Low told her about it when she pressed him on the need to deposit large sums of money into Najib's bank account.

Updated 2 hours ago · Published on 14 Feb 2024 5:19PM

Loo was reading from her 63-page witness statement at Najib's corruption and money laundering trial involving RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds - The Vibes, February 14, 2024

IN her ongoing testimony in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, the former general counsel for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) revealed that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, claimed that he possessed proof that he had always acted under Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's instructions, wishes, and knowledge.

Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, 50, said Jho Low told her about it when she pressed him on the need to deposit large sums of money into Najib's bank account.

According to the 50th prosecution witness, she initially did not know about the two security deposits for the sums of USD576,943,490 and USD790,354,855.

These funds were transferred from Aabar Investment PJS Limited's (BVI) account to the Blackstone Asia Real Estate account of Jho Low's associate, Eric Tan Kim Loong, and later moved to various accounts, including those belonging to Najib, she added. 

"I know about all the money transactions into Datuk Seri Najib's account through the media and the United States Department of Justice report around 2015 and 2016 and I asked Jho Low about it.

"Jho Low said it was for Barisan Nasional's political funds, particularly UMNO. But when I pressed the matter and asked Jho Low again about the large transfers into Datuk Seri Najib's account, Jho Low told me not to worry," she said.

She was reading from her 63-page witness statement at Najib's corruption and money laundering trial involving RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds.

Loo added that Jho Low also told her not to take any action (regarding the entry of money into Najib's account) because he would take care of everything.

However, Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah objected to Loo's statement regarding the evidence allegedly possessed by Jho Low on the grounds that it was hearsay.

Earlier in the hearing, Loo said she frequently saw Najib and Jho Low together or nearby at the same 1MDB programmes or events and that the man also kept blank Prime Minister's Office letterheads for his use.

"The blank letterhead on yellow paper was kept in an envelope for Jho Low's use when necessary. For example, I saw the letterhead when the letter of appointment for Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman (former CEO of 1MDB) was prepared at his home in Jalan Kia Peng here, and Jho Low told me he would take it to Datuk Seri Najib to be signed.

"Another example is when Datuk Seri Najib attended the United Nations Summit in New York. At that time, Jho Low was also there to organise Datuk Seri Najib's meeting with American investors in collaboration with Goldman Sachs.

"And I was instructed (by Jho Low) to attend the meeting and report to him," she said.

Najib, 70, faces four charges of abusing his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah is ongoing. - Bernama, February 14, 2024

 Update1

‘Lots of money’ sent to Najib to fund Umno and BN, court told

Defence counsel Shafee Abdullah objects to Jasmine Loo’s statement, saying it is hearsay.

V Anbalagan - 24, 3:0

Jho Low was in possession of blank stationery bearing the letterhead of the Prime Minister’s Office which he used as and when the need arose, said Jasmine Loo. (File pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, once informed 1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo that “a lot of money” had been deposited in Najib Razak’s accounts to fund Barisan Nasional and Umno, the High Court heard today.

Loo said she pressured Low to know about the transactions, but he told her not to worry, saying he would handle the matter.

“Low also told me that in case of any eventuality, he has evidence that it was done at the request and knowledge of Najib,” she said when examined by deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan.

At this juncture, defence counsel Shafee Abdullah stood and objected, saying Loo’s statement was hearsay. In reply, Deepa said the objection should be taken up during submissions.

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah did not rule on the objection.

Loo, the prosecution’s 50th witness, said she came to know from media reports in 2015 and 2016 that a lot of money had been deposited into Najib’s accounts, and sought confirmation from Low as to its purpose.

“He told me the money was political funds for BN, especially Umno,” she said.

Najib, who was the prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was Umno president and chairman of BN, a coalition of parties led by Umno.

Loo testified that she frequently saw Najib and Low together at 1MDB-related programmes.

She said she had seen Low in possession of an envelope containing blank stationery bearing the letterhead of the Prime Minister’s Office which he used as and when the need arose.

“For example, I have seen the PMO letterhead on the appointment of 1MDB chief executive officer Hazem Abdul Rahman which Low prepared at his home in (Jalan) Kia Peng.

“Low told me he will take the letter to the Prime Minister’s Office for Najib to sign,” she said.

On another occasion, Loo said, Low accompanied Najib to the 2013 United Nations General Assembly in New York.

She also said Low was later seen waiting for Najib at a hotel in New York after arranging for a meeting with US investors with the cooperation of Goldman Sachs, the investment bank.

On Low’s associate Tan Kim Loong, Loo said she knew him as a friend and first met him at the UBG office in 2009.

“At that time, Tan, also known as Eric Tan or Fat Eric, was also a business partner to Low and was involved in running restaurants and real estate,” she said.

MACC investigating officer Nur Aida Arifin yesterday told the court her investigations revealed that Najib received money from Blackstone, Tanore Finance Corporation, and Vista Equity International, which belonged to Tan.

Najib is facing 25 charges for abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

The hearing continues.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14, 2024: Former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo says fugitive financier Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) instructed her to wait at the gate of former premier Najib Abdul Razak’s private residence on every occasion.

Loo said she never entered the private residence of Najib when (the disgraced and shameless) then prime minister signed off on investment documents linked to the company.

Loo, the prosecution’s 50^th witness continues to sing like a canary in her testimony in the 1MDB hearing in which Najib is facing 25 charges for abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

No News Is Bad News reproduces velow a news report on the court proceedings this morning:

Only Jho Low could meet Najib, says ex-1MDB legal officer Jasmine Loo

The former 1MDB general counsel says fugitive financier Low Taek Jho instructed her to wait at the gate of Najib Razak’s private residence on every occasion.

V Anbalagan - 14 Feb 2024, 12:36pm

Jasmine Loo said she had never entered Najib Razak’s private residence when she had to hand over or receive documents from Jho Low.

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court heard today that former 1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo never entered the private residence of Najib Razak when the then prime minister signed off on investment documents linked to the company.

Loo said she would be instructed by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, to wait for him at the gate to Najib’s residence.

She said there were occasions when Low would already be waiting for her at the gate when she arrived.

“On one occasion, Low came out from Najib’s home in Langgak Duta and I passed the documents over to him. I have never gone into Najib’s house,” she said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan.

The 50th prosecution witness testified yesterday that she worked for 1MDB between 2011 and November 2013.

She said her duties included preparing legal documents relating to the company’s overseas investment. She also said Low always gave the impression he was close to Najib.

In her testimony today, Loo said she would put the prepared documents into a folder which she would hand over to Low.

Low would later arrange for the documents containing Najib’s signature to be sent back to her, she said.

“He would send text messages to me (asking for me) to collect the documents (from third parties) and submit them to 1MDB officers for further action,” she said.

She said 1MDB investment decisions used an abnormal “top-down” approach as all decisions were made by Najib in his capacity as the finance minister and chairman of the company’s board of advisers.

This was because 1MDB is a government-linked company parked under the Minister of Finance Incorporated, where the ministry holds the golden share, she said.

Loo said the board of directors would agree to and follow all decisions taken by Najib.

She said this was due to a clause in the 1MDB constitution which states that Najib’s permission must be obtained for major investments that have financial implications for the government.

Najib is facing 25 charges for abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

The hearing before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.