I was restless, feared for my family's safety during 1MDB investigation, says Ismee

KUALA LUMPUR: A former non-executive director of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) told the High Court today that he felt restless and worried for his family's safety when he was called by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to give his testimony regarding the 1MDB scandal.

Tan Sri Ismee Ismail, 56, said he feared for his family and his own safety as there were a lot of uncertainties which he personally could not figure out.

"I was not pressured by anybody; the feeling is very difficult to describe ... I felt restless because at the time I was wondering what is happening.

"I was trying to figure out if there were things I had not done correctly," he said under cross-examination by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's lawyer Datuk Hariharan Tara Singh in the former prime minister's trial over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds.

Further questioned by Hariharan, Ismee said the MACC never threatened to initiate a criminal or civil proceeding against him or promised him anything in return, in order to get him to give evidence against the Pekan MP.

"During the time of giving testimony to MACC, I was worried about the safety and security (of my family) but they (MACC) showed me I should not be worried, but there was no promise about no civil suit.

"I won't say I am giving incriminating evidence against (Najib) but I am giving the facts of the case. I have a responsibility to tell the truth during investigation.

"I gave them (MACC) true facts but if it was against the law I would not be the judge of that," said the witness.

The 13th prosecution witness also agreed with a suggestion by the lawyer that he was unhappy when he came to know about a civil suit filed by the government through 1MDB against him and other former senior management members of the company.

Hariharan: I put it to you that you became very unhappy because you were promised by the MACC, if you give evidence against Datuk Seri Najib, there will be no civil suit for you.

Ismee: There was no such promise.

Hariharan: Did you, in a way, feel betrayed when you became aware of the civil suit?

Ismee: I wouldn't say betrayed; I would say very very sad. I felt more sad than betrayed.

However, the civil suit against him has been withdrawn.

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

The trial before Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues Jan 5 next year.

-- BERNAMA