I did not complain to Najib as it would be like suspecting him - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR: 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) chairman, Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh told the High Court here today that he did not complain on irregularities in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) directly to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak (pix), as it would be like suspecting the former prime minister to be involved himself.

The 68-year-old witness was being re-examined by lead prosecutor, Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram in the former premier’s trial over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1MDB.

Sri Ram asked why at that point of time he did not make a complaint to the Finance Ministry and Najib about his own frustrations over what had happened in 1MDB.

Mohd Bakke replied that what restrained or discouraged him from doing that was because it would really like making a complaint against the then prime minister.

“Complaining on the loss of sheep to the wolf!” quipped Sri Ram.

Mohd Bakke: “That was the thing, because from the early part of my involvement as a board member, I was already not comfortable.

“I had this feeling of discomfort, especially when I found out that the management had split the remittance, so that was the trigger. I felt very uncomfortable about the whole thing.

“And that prompted me to resign. I wanted to resign on the spot, go back to the PM and tell him what had happened and that I had my suspicion on him. I was not comfortable and that was difficult.”

He further said that Najib had never asked him why he resigned from the company although he had on many occasions met Najib after he left the company.

Sri Ram: “After you resigned, were you satisfied that he (Najib) was aware that you had resigned?”

Mohd Bakke: “Najib never asked me why I resigned. It was business as usual.”

Mohd Bakke was the 1MDB chairman from September 2009 until October 19, 2009 when he resigned to protest the irregularities in 1MDB’s US$1 billion deal.

Earlier, when queried by Najib’s counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, the witness said he was unaware whether the family of former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz had gotten proceeds from the transactions of the sovereign wealth fund.

He said he became aware of the matter recently through the media reports.

Wan Aizuddin: “Tan Sri, do you know that as of January 2022, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had been investigating Zeti, her husband and Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop under the Anti-Money Laundering act?”

At this juncture, deputy public prosecutor, Mohamad Mustafa P. Kunyalam stood up and objected to the lawyer’s question as the question had nothing to do with the witness.

However, judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the question as it was a general question.

Najib, 68, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial continues on June 7.

-- BERNAMA