Ambrin Had Ultimate Authority On 1mdb Audit Witness

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1MDB AUDIT TRIAL | Former auditor-general Madinah Mohamad agreed that her predecessor Ambrin Buang is the proper person to ask about the audit of 1MDB.
She told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that Ambrin (above) was also empowered with discretion in how to carry out the audit between 2015 and 2016 when he was then auditor-general.
The 12th prosecution witness was testifying during the 1MDB audit report trial against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and the sovereign wealth fund’s former CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy.
Back in 2018 during the Pakatan Harapan administration, Madinah claimed that Najib ordered tampering with the 1MDB audit report.
She took over the reins from Ambrin from 2017 until 2019. Ambrin became auditor-general in 2006.
Madinah previously testified that she kept the original copies of the 1MDB audit report under lock and key until the Harapan federal administration in 2018.
She also previously gave oral evidence that Ambrin was reluctant to discuss with her his views over the 1MDB audit.
Former auditor-general Madinah MohamadDuring proceedings before trial judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today, Madinah agreed that she was not the person who oversaw the audit of 1MDB but rather it was Ambrin.
During cross-examination by Arul Kanda’s lead defence counsel N Sivananthan, she concurred that Ambrin was vested with a lot of discretion as then auditor-general on what should be done or not in the audit.
She agreed that while she may have done things differently, it was still within Ambrin’s discretion then to exercise power as he sees fit.
She also concurred that while she may have used the word “tampering” to suggest an unauthorised change to the 1MDB audit report, it was still the prerogative of Ambrin then to decide what is included in said report.
Sivananthan: Ultimately, it is the auditor-general (Ambrin) who decides what should be in and not be in.
Madinah: Correct.
Proceedings before Zaini are set to resume on May 20.
Arul accused of abetting Najib
Najib was charged with using his position to order amendments to 1MDB’s final audit report before it was presented to the PAC to prevent any action against him.
Former prime minister Najib Abdul RazakCo-accused Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments.
The charges are framed under Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act 2009, which specifies a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The prosecution is contending that the decision to make the amendments was made during a meeting on Feb 24, 2016, at the office of then chief secretary to the government, Ali Hamsa.
It was alleged this was done to remove or alter certain portions of the 1MDB audit report, including dropping the issue of wanted fugitive Low Taek Jho’s (Jho Low) attendance at the fund’s board meetings.
Another issue that was allegedly dropped from the 1MDB audit report was the two conflicting 2014 financial statements of the sovereign wealth fund.
Besides Arul Kanda, others who were allegedly at the 2016 meeting were Ambrin, Ali, former National Audit Department officer Saadatul Nafisah Ahmad Bashir, Najib’s former chief private secretary Shukry Salleh, and then Attorney-General’s Chambers representative Dzulkifli Ahmad.
The former premier’s defence team contends there was no wrongdoing in the amendment to the 1MDB audit report as the said amendments were on allegedly unfinalised copies of the report prior to it being tabled with the PAC in March 2016. - Mkini

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