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Didn’t jailbird Najib say he did not know Jho Low?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDuuZJMagfI (I confronted Jho Low over his lifestyle, Najib tells court)
3,302 views 16 Jan 2025 #FMTNews #1MDB #NajibRazak The former prime minister says he was ‘not comfortable’ with news stories about Low Taek Jho’s ostentatious lifestyle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB3J4S7EzG8 (Does Najib Deserve A Pardon? (Adakah Najib layak diampunkan?)
Mariam Mokhtar Admrl-Gen (rebuildingmalaysia)
31,080 views 15 Jan 2025 Does the convicted felon, the banduan, Najib Abdul Razak, deserve to be pardoned? You tell us! He stole taxpayers' money. He lied. He betrayed the rakyat. He almost bankrupted the nation. The money he stole was yours. It is not peanuts amount mah! It was sap sap seui for him as his former cabinet all tutup mulut... You decide!
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17, 2025: The disgraced, shameless and unrepentant former prime minister Najib “1MDB” Razak today told the High Court that he confronted Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, after negative publicity began to surface about the businessman’s lifestyle and ownership of luxury properties worldwide.
The jailbird, now serving his corrutipn sentence in Kajang Prison, said he was “not comfortable” with news stories about Jho Low’s ostentatious lifestyle.
No News Is Bad News’ beef with the jailed former Umno president is: “Didn’t he say he did not know Jho Low?”
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No News Is Bad News reproduces below news reports on the court proceedings, including a suit brought by 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB):
I confronted Jho Low over his lifestyle, Najib tells court
-16 Jan 2025, 02:21 PM
The former prime minister says he was ‘not comfortable’ with news stories about Low Taek Jho’s ostentatious lifestyle.
Najib Razak told the High Court he was introduced to Low Taek Jho by his stepson Riza Aziz.
PUTRAJAYA: Najib Razak told the High Court today that he confronted Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, after negative publicity began to surface about the businessman’s lifestyle and ownership of luxury properties worldwide.
Testifying under cross-examination in his 1MDB trial, the former prime minister said he was “not comfortable” with news stories about Low’s ostentatious lifestyle.
“He kept saying that he was doing it for Sheikh Mansour,” said Najib, referring to Sheikh Mansour Zayed Sultan Al Nahyan, an Emirati prince.
Najib said he was introduced to Low by his stepson Riza Aziz. He said Riza and Low were classmates, and that Riza also knew Low’s brother, Taek Szen.
Najib however denied that he became beholden to Low. He said he knew Low had close ties with Middle Eastern royal families. “I was using him to tap his (Middle Eastern) connection,” said Najib.
The former prime minister also denied seeking Sheikh Mansour’s assistance after the US Department of Justice announced that it was bringing a civil forfeiture action against Riza, which was eventually settled.
He said he sent his former special officer, Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, to Abu Dhabi to talk to Sheikh Mansour in an attempt to resolve 1MDB’s debt to IPIC.
‘I didn’t get Bakke’s text’
Separately, Najib denied receiving any SMS from ex-1MDB chairman Bakke Salleh about the company’s state of affairs.
Bakke, who resigned in 2009, previously told the court that he had informed Najib via text that 1MDB’s management was going against instructions from the company’s board of directors. Bakke said Najib never replied to the message.
In court, Najib said Bakke should have met him personally to explain his resignation.
“He knows me and I wish he had (come to) see me,” he added.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited in his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
I left it to the authorities to act on adverse reports about 1MDB, says Arul Kanda
-17 Jan 2025, 03:34 PM
He said his role as CEO was to implement a rationalisation plan aimed at turning the company around.
Former 1MDB CEO and group president Arul Kanda Kandasamy said he did not call for any investigation into four reports published locally and internationally between February and April 2015.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy told the High Court today that he left it to the authorities to act on negative reports in the local and foreign media about the company’s state of affairs.
Testifying in his defence to a civil suit brought by 1MDB, Arul, who was also the group president, said he read several reports soon after joining the company in January 2015.
He said this when cross-examined by 1MDB’s counsel, Lim Chee Wee, over US$700 million in 1MDB funds that landed in the accounts of Good Star Ltd, an entity that belonged to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low.
1MDB entered into an agreement with Petro Saudi International Ltd pursuant to which it was required to contribute US$1 billion, equivalent to 40% of the equity, into a joint venture project.
However, only US$300 million was paid to the joint venture, with the remaining US$700 million diverted to Good Star.
Lim referred Arul to four reports in Sarawak Report, the Edge, South China Morning Post, and Euromoney that were published between February and April 2015.
Lim: You read all the articles. Did you instruct any investigations?
Arul: No.
Lim: Neither did you lodge police reports, engage forensic accountants, or get in touch with local or foreign lawyers.
Arul: Yes.
Arul said he was also aware of a video by former Damansara MP Tony Pua and statements by PKR leader Rafizi Ramli disparaging the company over its foreign investments.
“Before joining 1MDB, I researched about the company and came across negative reports and statements by Pua and Rafizi, but I do not recall the particular articles,” he said.
In May 2021, 1MDB filed a lawsuit accusing Arul and former 1MDB chairman Irwan Serigar Abdullah of breach of trust and conspiracy, which led to alleged losses of US$1.83 billion, linked to the company’s investment in 1MDB-Petrosaudi Ltd.
The funds were said to have been converted into a Brazen Sky Ltd investment and were purportedly recoverable from the Bridge Global Fund.
1MDB also alleges that the pair misappropriated US$3.5 billion in company funds, which was paid to Aabar Investments, and another US$1.265 billion paid to the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) on May 9, 2017.
1MDB further alleges that Irwan conspired with Arul to extend his employment agreement, resulting in a payment of RM2,905,200 to Arul in disregard of the company’s interests, leading to financial losses and damages.
The company is seeking US$6.59 billion in damages from the duo and an additional RM2.9 million from Irwan related to the extension of the employment agreement.
Arul’s defence is that he left it to the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the national audit department, and Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to investigate wrongdoings in the company.
He said his role as CEO was to implement a rationalisation plan aimed at turning the company around, settling its existing debts and kick-starting stalled projects, including Bandar Malaysia and TRX Development.
Irwan, who was appointed chairman by the Minister of Finance Inc in May 2016, said he was appointed to specifically steer 1MDB through the rationalisation plan.
Lawyers Sanjay Mohan and Adam Lee appeared for Arul, while counsel Lavinia Kumaraendran and Mavin Thillainathan represented Irwan.
Counsel Brendan Navin Siva and Raphael Kok are assisting Lim.
The hearing before Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan continues on Feb 3.
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