Husni I Was Warned About Raja Petra Attacks If I Snubbed Najib

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SRC TRIAL | Former finance minister II Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah claimed he was forewarned about possible attacks from blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin if he refused to meet then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak in 2016
Husni said this was conveyed to him by Najib's chief private secretary Shukry Mohd Salleh after he delivered a scathing speech against 1MDB in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 24, 2016, four months after resigning as a minister
Testifying as the 56th witness in Najib's graft trial, Husni said Shukry visited him at his home after he had delivered the speech

"After I gave my speech, I came back. I was at home with my wife and then Tan Sri Shukry arrived at my house at 10pm
"He said, ‘Najib asked me to visit you. Najib wants to see you tonight’, and I said I'm tired
"He said, 'Najib has discussed with a person and they have contacted Raja Petra. Tomorrow they will attack you. Let's go see Najib'," he said
However, Husni did not meet Najib on that day and he said the attacks subsequently started, with his son Khalid Ahmad Husni being the first target
Raja Petra's attacksOn Oct 25, 2016, a day after Husni’s speech, Raja Petra published an article titled: "Two billion reasons why Husni attacked Najib yesterday"
The article published the agenda of an Economic Council meeting, which showed Khalid in attendance, representing the New Pantai Expressway (NPE). The meeting ultimately rejected a proposed extension to the NPE, which was worth RM2 billion
"Imagine the minutes of the meeting went to Raja Petra. He published it on Facebook saying that I was angry that my son didn't get the RM2 billion project from Najib," he said
He said this eventually led his son to be dismissed from NPE
The following day, on Oct 26, 2016, Raja Petra also published an article titled: "Maybe Husni forgot about his sex scandals"
Apart from these, Husni said the fact that then Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysiawas running articles against him, albeit only referring to him as "a former minister", had led him to conclude that Najib was behind the smear campaign
"In October or November (2016) I sent a message to Najib, asking him, 'What is this?'.""Najib then replied, ‘Discuss with Nazri Aziz (photo, above)’ - I did not have the opportunity to talk with Nazri as he was overseas - then the following day, there were no more attacks," Husni said, when cross-examined by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah
Najib offered chance to recontest TambunNazri was at the time considered a Perak Umno warlord and a close ally of Najib
Husni said it was only later that he went to meet Najib with Nazri. The then prime minister subsequently offered Husni the opportunity to recontest his parliamentary seat of Tambun
The former minister said he accepted the offer, and that Najib had even provided RM200,000 to assist his election campaign
Husni, who had been the Tambun MP since 1995, lost the seat in the 2018 general election to Bersatu’s Ahmad Faizal Azumu
Shafee suggested that Husni's testimony regarding Najib reflected a man who was upset at the former prime minister. However, Husni insisted that this was not the case
"That is an assumption. I told you, I live for Umno.. .I've been praying till today that Allah will open the doors of truth to Najib... to me, he is only a human being," said Husni
Subsequently, Shafee read out a text message Husni allegedly sent to the minister in charge who rejected the NPE project, which, among others, read: "I've not opened my mouth, only one percent has come out, I can let out five percent, 10 percent. All information is in my hands, don't play around, all will come out."Husni appeared agitated and asked to see the message. "From where did you get it?" he said
Shafee: You were so angry, you threatened, 'I will expose Najib'
Husni: I was never angry
Shafee: Because you were angry with him, I'm putting to you, you threatened Najib
Husni: That's why I asked you, I sent to whom
Shafee: That doesn't matter
Husni: I'm telling you I can't remember
After the end of the hearing today, Shafee told reporters that the defence may consider calling the minister who received the message as a witness
He also confirmed that the defence was trying to show that Husni had something against Najib, which affected his credibility as a witness. - Mkini

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