Najib warded, 1MDB trial postponed

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial at the High Court here today has been postponed as the former premier was admitted to Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) due to a blood pressure condition.

His counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah that his client would not be able to attend court today and maybe tomorrow.

"Datuk Seri Najib has been taken ill, and he is currently warded at HKL since yesterday. I'm told as of this morning at 7.30 am and 9.30 am, the likelihood of certain tests performed on him may take a few more days. Definitely, today is off, Yang Arif. Definitely, he cannot come, and I think certainly tomorrow as well.

"There are issues with his health, because he seems to have exhibited fluctuating blood pressure. The cause for it has not been detected, so they are doing their very best," he said.

According to the counsel, Najib would be transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) today from HKL.

"There is a possibility, in fact a certainty, there's going to be a transfer from HKL to IJN," Muhammad Shafee said.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam did not object to the postponement, and Judge Sequerah fixed tomorrow afternoon for mention to get an update on the accused's condition.

Yesterday, the trial was cut to half day after senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who is leading the prosecution team, told the court that by 2 pm Najib has to be taken to hospital for medical attention as the high blood pressure medication he was taking was giving him adverse effects.

He told Judge Sequerah that he was informed by a Kajang Prison officer that Najib's condition was "quite bad".

The trial had been scheduled to resume until this Thursday. Yesterday, Ambank (M) Berhad Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager R. Uma Devi testified as the 37th prosecution witness.

Najib, 69, 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.

On Aug 23 this year, Najib was sent to Kajang Prison after the Federal Court upheld the conviction and sentence of 12 years' jail and RM210 million fine imposed on him for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

-- BERNAMA