by Theleaders-Online | April 22, 2019 8:47 am
KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Bahru Umno division secretary Abu Talib Alias told the High Court here today that his division received a cheque of RM300,000 from the party president in 2015.
The 10th prosecution witness said he received the cheque from the then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s chief private secretary, the late Datuk Seri Azlin Alias, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya.
Abu Talib said after receiving a call from Azlin, he informed the division chief of the matter before being instructed to collect the cheque.
“When I was in the office, I was given a white envelope … I opened it and saw a cheque with the name of Johor Baru Umno division as the payee,” he said during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi in the proceedings of Najib’s trial that entered its sixth day.
He then deposited the cheque at the Maybank Putrajaya branch on the same day.
Earlier, when asked to identify Najib who was in the dock, the witness said: “He is there, ‘malu apa bossku’ (Nothing to be ashamed of my boss, phrase made popular by Najib),” that drew chuckles from those in the court. However, Abu Talib then apologised to the court for his actions.
Abu Talib, when cross-examined by lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, representing Najib, said the RM300,000 funds had been used for his division’s various programmes and activities.
Muhammad Shafee: The funds have been used for what activities or programmes?
Abu Talib: Actually the funds were used to assist 86 party branches under the Johor Baru Umno division including during the fasting month, donations to poor people and (victims) of disasters such as storm and flood.
Muhammad Shafee: Is it true that apart from this cheque, you have received other contributions from previous party presidents?” The witness replied “Yes, true.”
Muhammad Shafee: Do you agree, contribution is a common practice?” The witness replied “Yes.”
Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering over SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.
The trial before Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali is in progress.
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