Arab Donation Didn T Violate Code Of Ethics Najib

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1MDB TRIAL | Najib Abdul Razak testified that the Arab donation into his private account did not violate the Code of Ethics for Members of Administration.
The former prime minister told the High Court in Putrajaya today that this was why he did not disclose the alleged Saudi royal donation to the then-cabinet in 2013.
In the RM2.27 billion 1MDB corruption trial today, he explained that he only disclosed to the cabinet that the late Saudi monarch King Abdullah would support his administration without disclosing the donation in detail.
Najib disagreed with deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Kamal Baharin Omar’s contention that the accused should have declared the donation to the cabinet, as it may amount to a violation of the Code of Ethics.
Najib (left) and the late Saudi King AbdullahThe prosecutor was referring to Item 5 of the 1997 version of the Code, which states that “members of administration have to avoid using his or her position for personal benefit, such as soliciting or receiving any gift, reward, or any benefits that could jeopardise their integrity”.
Kamal: You as then prime minister cannot accept the gift (Arab donation), agree?
Najib: It (The Code) states any gift that can jeopardise integrity, I do not regard the (donation) as jeopardising integrity.
Kamal: You cannot accept (the alleged donation from Saudi Arabia).
Najib: I disagree. Only if the gift causes us to be influenced in our decision-making, then cannot. If the gift has nothing to do with our power (as members of the administration, then it is alright). You must read the code properly, not in isolation.
When Kamal said Najib should not have accepted the alleged Saudi donation due to the Code, the ex-finance minister heatedly disagreed.
Najib countered that the prosecution was taking the Code out of context by looking at it piecemeal, thus causing confusion.
Kamal: I say that when you receive the donation from King Abdullah, you have to inform the cabinet.
Najib: No, I disagree.
The former Pekan MP is relying on the defence that he believed the money that flowed into his bank account was a political donation from Middle Eastern royalty.
Najib also contended that he had no knowledge of wrongdoing at 1MDB and that embezzlement at the Malaysia sovereign wealth fund was solely masterminded by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and members of its management.
The accused is relying on four alleged Arab royalty letters written by one Saud Abdulaziz Majid Al-Saud promising millions of dollars in donations.
Contention over letter sender
Meanwhile, during cross-examination by DPP Ahmad Akram Gharib, Najib disagreed that the tone of the four Arab letters to him had a personal tone.
The ex-prime minister claimed the letter sender Abdulaziz Majid’s use of the phrase “in view of the friendship we developed over the years” is in reference to Malaysia’s long-standing ties with Saudi Arabia.
Najib strongly disagreed with Akram’s contentions that nothing in the four Arab letters indicated that Abdulaziz Majid ever represented the Saudi government.
Akram: I put it to you that there is no basis to assume the four letters came from King Abdullah, or the Saudi Arabian Kingdom, or any Arab royal.
Najib: I disagree.
Akram: I put it to you that since there is no basis to assume the letters came from them (Arab royalty), then the same can be said over the money (that flowed into Najib’s account) ever came from them.
Najib: I disagree.
Akram: You never sent any thank you note to King Abdullah (over the alleged donation) due to these four letters being bogus.
Najib: I disagree.
Going overseas to check 1MDB funds
Meanwhile, during the trial, Najib denied DPP Kamal’s contention that he barred then-finance minister II Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah from going overseas to check on the status of 1MDB funds.
Najib said there was no need for Husni to go as the 1MDB board had already gone overseas to check on the funds.
Ahmad Husni HanadzlahKamal: I put it to you that if Husni had gone (overseas), he would have found something else (over the status of 1MDB monies).
Najib: I disagree.
Husni previously testified in trial that Najib warned him not to interfere in matters involving 1MDB.
Trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah resumes tomorrow morning.
Ordered to enter defence
On Oct 30 last year, Najib was ordered to defend himself against four abuse of power and 21 money laundering charges involving RM2.27 billion from 1MDB.
Sequerah ruled that the prosecution succeeded in establishing a prima facie (answerable) case against Najib over the Minister of Finance Incorporated’s (MOF Inc) wholly owned company.
The judge ruled that Najib had to answer the charges due to the strength of the various 50 witness testimonies during the prosecution stage of proceedings that lasted six years since the trial began in 2019. The accused was first charged in 2018.
Since the prima facie ruling, Najib has been testifying in his defence against the 1MDB criminal charges.
Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah acted for Najib. - Mkini

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