Another "sumpah laknat" by Najib

Another 'sumpah laknat' was cited by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when making his mitigation in the dock today.

He said, as a Muslim, although he has said it in the earlier part of the trial, he reiterated: "Wallahi Wabillahi Wattallahi".

"I did not demand the RM42 million, I did not plan for the RM42 million nor the RM42 million was offered to me.

"There has been no evidence or witnesses that say so. I have no knowledge of the RM42 million. That is all I have to say," he said before High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

'Wallahi Wabillahi Watallahi' is an oath used by Muslims to swear on the truth of their word.

The former prime minister was found guilty on all seven charges of Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT), money laundering and abuse of position, involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.

Najib who appeared calm throughout the proceedings said he would like to refer to his tenure as the Prime Minister for nine years.

The Pekan MP said during the time, the country prospered to the extent that it has very strong robust economic growth for nine straight years ending with 5.9 per cent growth in 2017.

"It is also a period we saw our stock market on the longest-ever bull run in our history, 1900 points on Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE).

"During this period, I oversaw massive infrastructure development in the country including public transport and housing on a massive scale.

"I also ensured every single group of the community, for example, farmer, smallholders and government servants had benefited from large-scale programmes to upgrade their income level," he said.

"I abolished the ISA (Internal Security Act), something I was not given much credit for. I ensured that the country did not undergo periods of abuse of power.

"I also put in a proposal to implement a more transparent system of political donations, that proposal required bipartisan support but the opposition at the time did not agree and the proposal did not see the light of day," he said.

-- BERNAMA