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Najib now blames the US for his 1MDB defence woes
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6, 2024: After blaming everyone under his charge, except himself as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad(1MDB) boss, the disgraced and shameless former prime minister Najib “1MDB” Razak today in the High Court blamed the US for his defence woes.
The super VVIP jailbird claimed thatthge US blocked his bid for Roger Ng’s trial documents, thus he had to face the prosecution in his 1MDB trial with his hands tied without the crucial documents.
Former Goldman Sachs banker Ng was jailed 10 years for corruption last year.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below a news report on the court proceedings and a previous posting:
US blocked bid for Roger Ng trial documents, says Najib
-06 Dec 2024, 01:45 PM
Najib Razak says he had to face the prosecution in his 1MDB trial with his hands tied as he did not have these crucial documents.
Najib Razak said the US department of justice filed motions to intervene and halt his discovery application to obtain documents in the trial of former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Najib Razak told the High Court today that US authorities had refused to provide key documents for his defence in the 1MDB trial.
He said he filed a discovery application in 2021 at the US district court for the southern district of New York to obtain documents used in the 1MDB trial of former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng.
Ng was sentenced to 10 years for corruption last year.
Najib sought the trial documents to “uncover information about the roles of 1MDB officials, the flow of funds, and the identities of co-conspirators and shell companies” involved in 1MDB.
He said Ng’s former colleague, Tim Leissner, had admitted to paying bribes for 1MDB transactions. Leissner, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money and corruption, is awaiting sentencing.
Najib told the High Court here that a subpoena was served on Leissner for the German national to provide 1MDB-related documents.
“However, his lawyers sought an extension to respond, and the DoJ (US department of justice) also filed a motion to intervene and stay the proceedings (which was granted).
“The (US) government argued that it had a substantial interest in protecting the integrity of ongoing criminal cases against Goldman Sachs, Jho Low (Low Taek Jho), Ng, and Leissner,” Najib said, claiming that the DoJ’s actions had “delayed” justice for him.
Without these crucial documents, he said, he was left to face the prosecution with his hands tied.
Najib also claimed that the DoJ’s 2016 civil forfeiture complaints to recover more than US$1 billion in assets linked to 1MDB were politically motivated.
The DoJ said more than US$3.5 billion belonging to 1MDB was “allegedly misappropriated by high-level officials of 1MDB and their associates”.
‘Treasury official failed to carry out duty’
Najib also said that a former senior Treasury official had failed to fulfil her duty to conduct checks of 1MDB’s approval to seek a further loan of RM6.17 billion to purchase shares in an independent power producer firm.
He said he never gave such approval to 1MDB in 2012, adding that former Treasury deputy secretary-general Siti Zauyah Desa had also testified to having no knowledge of it.
“The usual procedure for such loan approvals required the letters to be drafted by the Treasury’s relevant unit, in this case the Minister of Finance Incorporated, or MoF Inc, under Siti Zauyah.
“It is clear that neither she nor the officers took any steps to inquire with 1MDB’s management about the (approval) letter.
“It is rather disconcerting for her to insinuate that the lack of knowledge by her and her department implies something sinister on my part,” Najib said.
He added that Siti Zauyah’s unit could have prevented the approval if they had done their job properly.
In 2022, Siti Zauyah testified that 1MDB officials reported their operations directly to Najib, not to her unit that oversaw government-owned companies.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power over 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion allegedly deposited in his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Dec 9.
Wednesday, 4 December 2024
Najib ‘1MDB’ Razak blames everyone under his charge except himself
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Najib ‘1MDB’ Razak blames everyone under his charge except himself
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5, 2024: The ongoing hearing of 25 charges against disgraced and shameless former prime minister Najib “1MDB” Razak appears to be a blame game for the VVIP jailbird.
In his testimonies thus far, he blames everyone under his charge in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), except himself as the boss.
To date, the unrepentant kleptocrat had testified that:
> 1MDB’s former CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and the company’s management team must be held accountable;
> HE was “disheartened” by the testimony of ex-colleague Finance Minister II Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, alleging that Ahmad was angry that a highway project in which his son was involved failed to secure governmental approval; and
> FORMER 1MDB director Ismee Ismail unfairly implicated him in a decision to dispose of the company’s stake in a failed joint venture, PetroSaudi International (PSI).
Najib is facing 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014
Today in the High Court, Najib said fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) “exploited” his trust.
He denied having a close relationship with Jho Low despite his (Jho Low) presence his (Najib) residence.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below a news report on the court proceedings:
Jho Low ‘exploited’ my trust, says Najib
-05 Dec 2024, 02:15 PM
Najib Razak says he did not have a close relationship with Jho Low despite his presence at the former prime minister’s home.
Najib Razak said the ‘slightly pudgy’ Jho Low had remarkable charisma and an extraordinary ability to navigate diverse and influential circles.
KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Razak told the High Court here that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) “exploited” his trust, resulting in the former prime minister being falsely portrayed as complicit in the 1MDB fiasco.
Denying former CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi’s claims that he and Low had a close relationship, Najib said the perception arose due to Low’s presence at his home.
“While I do not deny that on certain occasions Jho Low was present at my home, it is important to understand the context of my interactions with him during that time.
“My confidence in him arose from the compelling image he projected as a highly capable and well-connected individual,” Najib said, pointing out that Low is well connected to the Terengganu and Middle Eastern royal families.
The ex-PM also said Low helped Malaysia bring back students studying in Egypt when the Arab Spring protests broke out and also helped to secure from Saudi Arabia an increase in Malaysia’s haj pilgrimage quotas.
“What set this slightly pudgy young man apart was his remarkable charisma and an extraordinary ability to navigate diverse and influential circles and consistently position himself as someone who could deliver results.
“Just because I trusted Jho Low, it does not mean that I gave him instructions to act as a go-between for myself and the management or directors of 1MDB.
“If he (Low) brought any (company shareholder) resolution to my home, I would question him,” said Najib.
He said it was Shahrol who was close to Low, as the former 1MDB CEO visited the Penang businessman’s home with several other members of the company’s staff and a former AmBank banker.
“Shahrol admitted he cooked nasi goreng for Jho Low and Joanna (Yu), made soup for him. I never cooked anything for him,” said Najib.
Nothing to hide on Saudi donation, says Najib
Najib also insisted he never hid the fact that he had received a purported Saudi donation, adding that he had spent the money on corporate social responsibility activities. All transactions were properly recorded, he said.
“I issued cheques, not cash. If I wanted to steal (from 1MDB) as the prosecution claims, I would not have brought back (the money) and told BNM (Bank Negara Malaysia) about it. This would be bordering on insanity,” said Najib.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over funds amounting to RM2.28 billion which were deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Friday.
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