CNA – Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak used his personal bank account to issue MYR8.4 million (USD1.87 million) in cheques to individuals, political entities and companies between 2011 and 2012, the High Court heard yesterday.
Among the individual recipients of the cheques were former land and cooperative development minister Kasitah Gaddam and former human resources minister Richard Riot Jaem, who each received cheques amounting to MYR100,000, said a senior manager in AmBank’s cheque processing division Badrul Hisam Mohamad.
Badrul Hisam said this during his examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan in Najib’s trial over the misappropriation of funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
A total of 38 cheques were issued to 18 individuals, six political entities and six companies.
The 18 individuals received cheques amounting to more than MYR2.1 million, Badrul Hisam said. The six companies, meanwhile, received a total of close to MYR1.43 million in cheques from Najib’s account.
Finally, five United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) branches and divisions received cheques totalling MYR4.67 million, while MYR200,000 was paid to the Tun Razak Barisan Nasional branch, Badrul Hisam added. He noted that the UMNO branches and divisions which received cheques were Pekan UMNO, Pekan UMNO Wanita, Selangor UMNO, Selangor UMNO Wanita and Machang UMNO.
“Among the companies that received the cheques from Najib are Qalif Umar Creative, Semarak Konsortium Satu Sendirian Berhad, Gading Emas Management Services, Fanisa Consultancy and Services, and Two One Holidays Malaysia Sendirian Berhad,” he added.
Referring to scanned copies of the AmBank cheques issued by Najib, Badrul Hisam said he was able to identify Najib’s signature because it was recorded in a database which he had to refer to for comparison and verification purposes.
During his cross-examination by Najib’s lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, Badrul Hisam said that the bank would contact a customer to confirm a transaction when a cheque is issued for more than MYR20,000.
“We at the cheque processing division do not make the call personally, but the officers at the AmBank branch will decide (if) they will contact the customer directly or through the relationship manager who handles the customer’s account,” he said.
Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to MYR2.3 billion of 1MDB funds as well as 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount. The trial continues today.
The former prime minister is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence after the Federal Court on August 23 upheld the guilty verdict against him in the 1MDB-linked SRC International case.
