Najib kept quiet when asked to charge 1MDB's top officials

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today was told that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had remained silent when he was urged to have two 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) top officials charged.

Former Treasury secretary-general, Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, 65, said the two were former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin (1MDB's former director).

The 42nd prosecution witness said this when cross-examined by senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram at the trial of the former premier over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1MDB.

Queried by Sri Ram whether he had informed Najib that 1MDB and Shahrol Azral were allegedly uncooperative in the past towards the Finance Ministry, Mohd Irwan said he did so after parliamentary watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), released its findings on 1MDB in 2016.

Mohd Irwan said he went to see Najib and told him about the three recommendations of the PAC, namely to restructure 1MDB, to pay the debt and to charge the two fellows (Shahrol Azral and Lodin).

Sri Ram: You told him they needed to be charged?

Mohd Irwan: "Yes, but he is a nice man, he just kept quiet, knowing Datuk Seri Najib, he's a nice man.

Sri Ram: He just kept quiet?

Mohd Irwan: Yes, so that's it.

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