Najib issued cheques for RM8.4 million to 18 individuals, political entities, companies, says bank officer

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here was told today that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had issued 38 cheques for RM8.4 million from his personal account as payment to 18 individuals, six political entities and six companies between 2011 and 2012.

AmBank (M) Berhad senior manager (Cheque Processing Centre Division) Badrul Hisam Mohamad, 48, said among the individual recipients of the cheques were former Land and Cooperative Development Minister Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam and former Minister of Human Resources Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem, each amounting to RM100,000.

The 36th prosecution witness confirmed that the cheques to six companies totalled RM1,428,250; five UMNO branches and divisions (RM4,670,000); Tun Razak Barisan Nasional branch (RM200,000) and RM2,107,600 were the total value of the cheques issued to 18 individuals were from Najib's personal AmBank account ending with number 694.

"Datuk Seri Najib issued a cheque that was paid to Pekan UMNO amounting to RM200,000, Pekan UMNO Wanita (RM170,000), Selangor UMNO Wanita (RM1.9 million), Selangor UMNO (RM2 million), Machang UMNO (RM400,000) and Tun Razak Barisan Nasional Division (RM200,000).

"Among the companies that received the cheques from Datuk Seri Najib are Qalif Umar Creative (RM130,000), Semarak Konsortium Satu Sdn Bhd (RM274,750), Gading Emas Management Services (RM50,000), Fanisa Consultancy And Services (RM95,000) ) and Two One Holidays Malaysia Sdn Bhd (RM178,000)," he said.

Badrul Hisam said this when reading out his witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan in the Pekan MP's trial over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Referring to the scanned copies of the cheques by AmIslamik Bank Berhad Jalan Raja Chulan Branch for Najib's account which ended with the number 694, Badrul Hisam said he was able to identify Najib's signature because the signature was recorded in the Signature Database System (SDS) which he had to refer to for comparison and verification purposes.

Meanwhile, when cross-examined by lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, representing Najib, the witness said that the bank would contact the customer to confirm the transaction if the payment for a cheque issued amounted to more than RM20,000.

"We, at the Cheque Processing Division, do not make the call personally, but the officers at the AmBank branch will decide they will contact the customer directly or through the Relationship Manager who handles the customer's account," he said.

Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA