Not my place to raise concerns about 1MDB financial decision - Former 1MDB CFO

KUALA LUMPUR: Former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) chief financial officer (CFO) Azmi Tahir told the High Court today it was 'not his place' to raise concerns about the strategic investment company's financial decision even though he had concerns about it.

Azmi, 49, said he had never raised the issue to the 1MDB board of directors (BOD) because all decisions involving financial transactions had been decided for and duly authorised via the company's Directors' Circular Resolution (DCR).

He said this under cross-examination by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's counsel, Datuk Hariharan Tara Singh at the former premier's trial over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1MDB.

Hariharan questioned the 12th prosecution witness on why he did not exercise his role as 1MDB CFO and he had taken the easy way out to reduce the financial decision-making process by way of DCR.

To this, Azmi said he is unable to answer the question as he was not involved in the DCR making process and the question should be posed to former 1MDB general counsel, Jasmine Loo.

Hariharan: I put it to you that ordinarily as the CFO, you should have raised the matters with the BOD?

Azmi: Ordinarily yes, but 1MDB was not an ordinary company.

The witness however disagreed with a suggestion by Hariharan that he agreed to 'play ball' in fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) scheme because he was rewarded with high pay as the 1MDB CFO.

The lawyer further questioned Azmi that during his examination-in-chief, Azmi repeatedly said that whatever instructions that came from Najib's former principal private secretary, the late Datuk Azlin Alias or Jho Low was deemed as instructions from Najib.

Hariharan: Did you ever verify with Datuk Seri Najib that instructions from arwah Azlin came from him?

Azmi: I didn't verify. It is not my place to verify.

The Pekan MP 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 tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA