Najib, Jho Low’s Optimus Prime
KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was also referred to as Optimus Prime by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, in his Blackberry Messenger chats to her, testified ex Ambank client relationship manager, Joanne Yu Ging Ping.
In the chats, Jho Low had referred to Najib as “OP”. Najib was also previously referred to as “MNR”, which stood for Mohd Najib Razak.
“I asked and was told it was the name of Optimus Prime, it meant (then) prime minister Najib,” Yu said, in response to questions fielded by ad hoc public prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram.
Sithambaram said as far as he knew, Optimus Prime was the supreme leader of the Transformers, causing the court to break into laughter.
Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots in the popular Transformers cartoon series, which subsequently became a successful Hollywood movie franchise.
Najib, 66, is facing trial for three counts of money laundering, three counts of criminal breach of trust and power abuse over RM42 million from former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) subsidiary, SRC International.
The next prosecution witness was former finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.
Stumbling blocks for Ahmad Husni
The former Tambun MP said he raised his concerns over SRC International obtaining a RM2 billion loan from Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) but Najib had claimed that that the company was needed to empower the country’s electricity industry through government ownership of a company that invests in coal mining.
“I then told Najib that coal mining should be left to the private sector instead of involvement by a government-owned company.
“Najib then told me that only with government involvement that the electricity sector can be empowered through coal mining,” he added.
Despite being the Finance Minister II, Ahmad Husni added that he was not allowed o take Finance Ministry, Bank Negara and Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) officers to Switzerland in a bid to prove that SRC’s frozen funds belonged to KWAP.
“I learnt from Finance Ministry officers that a sum of RM4 billion, which is the total amount of loan from KWAP, was used in, among others, investment in the coal business in Java, investment in natural resources in Mongolia, and savings in banks in Switzerland and Hong Kong.
“At that time, I was not referred to and was not given documents regarding SRC International and the investments, despite having through my officer requested for them from SRC.
“I asked Mohd Isa Hussain, who was then the Investment Division secretary, to make a visit to Java to make sure the investment does exist there, but Isa did not go.
Barred from 1MDB affairs
Husni also testified that Najib barred him from interfering into 1MDB’s business ventures.
“I told him that we cannot invest in the Petro Saudi-1MDB (joint venture) as the company (1MDB) was still new at oil exploration. If no oil is found, the investment money would be finished.
“I said that 1MDB staff has no experience in the field of oil and gas, with me saying that Petronas has (experience in) oil and gas.
“Najib told me that ‘From today onwards, I do not want you to interfere in 1MDB,” he said.
Office boy in government guarantee decision
Meanwhile, responding to a question from deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Izzat Fauzan, Ahmad Husni likened himself to an office boy in the decision to grant the government guarantee for the first RM2 billion loan to SRC International.
“In regards to the first loan (guarantee) of RM2 billion, why was it not run by me? Why not?
“That is why I say that I was like a mere office boy when the decision was made,” Husni said.
The former MP also revealed that Najib was autocratic in handling matters related to SRC International to the extent that it prevented him from studying the company.
“How do I study (the company)? There were no documents whatsoever. Even its CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil did not want to see me.
“There was only once when he came to my office, but he did not bring any documents. After that, he never met me again.
“The work culture when it involved SRC International and 1MDB was totally different than the other companies,” he said.
