Najib Src Trial Day 79 Aussie Handwriting Expert S Report Ready By Feb 26 Shafee

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The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters day 79 today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings

Summary of Najib’s SRC RM42 million caseNajib is facing 7 charges relating to RM42m involving SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary
1 abuse of power charge3 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges3 money laundering chargesClick to view information on judge, prosecution and defence teamKEY HIGHLIGHTSAussie handwriting expert report on Najib's signature by Feb 26: ShafeeAsk King Abdullah: Anifah on late Saudi ruler's donation promise'Donation pledge not raised in cabinet as it was a personal donation'Anifah's testimony on Saudi donation date differs from past witnessesEx-foreign minister unaware if Jho Low has more clout with Saudi royalsNajib declined gift of stallions by Saudi king, Anifah testifies 'Jamil confirmed that Saudi king wanted money to go into Najib's account'Thank you for following Malaysiakini's live report1.55pm - Thank you for following our live report today
Aussie expert report on Najib's signature ready by Feb 26: Shafee12.13pm - An Australian handwriting expert's report on Najib Abdul Razak's signatures on key SRC International documents can be ready latest by Feb 26, the High Court hears
Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informs Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali this at the end of proceedings today
Earlier, Shafee had wrapped up re-examination of former foreign minister Anifah Aman, who was the sixth defence witness
Shafee informs Nazlan that the expert has finished examining the disputed documents yesterday, and could wrap up the report latest by Feb 26
Shafee also informs the court that they will prepare a 1MDB case investigating officer, only named as Nasarudin, to testify as the seventh defence witness on Monday next week
Nazlan then adjourns proceedings for today. Proceedings will resume on Monday
Monday is also possibly set for a hearing of an application by Najib in relation to statements recorded by MACC of potential witnesses who later could not be located
11.40am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman agrees that it wouldn't be right to buy a watch with the price tag of half a million ringgit using the so-called Saudi donation
"Of course not," he says when cross-examined by DPP V Sithambaram
Ask King Abdullah: Anifah on late Saudi ruler's donation promise11.38am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman testifies that one should ask the late Saudi ruler King Abdullah Abdul Aziz al-Saud (above) on what the latter (King Abdullah) meant by "vague disbursement" in relation to the latter's promise of a donation into then premier Najib Abdul Razak's personal account
The sixth defence witness says this during cross-examination by DPP V Sithambaram
Sithambaram is asking Anifah over the latter's witness statement, where the latter testified that he (Anifah) was made to understand that King Abdullah wanted to transfer the financial donation into Najib's personal account in order to avoid the money be "vaguely disbursed"
Sithambaram: Your statement that says King Abdullah did not want this money to be vaguely disbursed, you heard this from King Abdullah
Anifah: From Najib
Sithambaram: What does "vaguely disbursed" mean
Anifah: (You) should ask King Abdullah
King Abdullah died in January 2015
'Donation pledge not raised in cabinet as it was a personal donation'11.36am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman testifies that then Saudi ruler King Abdullah's promise of a financial donation to then premier Najib Abdul Razak was not raised in cabinet because it was a personal donation
The sixth defence witness says this during cross-examination by DPP V Sithambaram
Anifah is referring to King Abdullah's alleged donation promise to Najib made during a meeting in January 2010
Sithambaram: You did not mention this to the cabinet about the donation
Anifah: It was a personal donation from King Abdullah (to Najib)
Anifah also disagrees with Sithambaram's assertion that the promise of a donation to Najib is not personal as it transpired during Najib's visit with some members of his cabinet to Saudi Arabia to meet King Abdullah in January 2010
Previously, former Malaysian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Syed Omar Syed Mohammad al Saggaf and former minister in prime minister's department Jamil Khir Baharom confirmed the Saudi king's promise to Najib
Both testified that they were made to understand that King Abdullah made the promise to Najib at the sidelines of an unofficial meeting between Najib and King Abdullah on Jan 11, 2010
Anifah also agrees with Sithambaram's assertion that King Abdullah's promise of a financial donation was not discussed in the Dewan Rakyat
Anifah's testimony on Saudi donation offer date differs from past witnesses11.25am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman testifies that then Saudi ruler King Abdullah made the offer of financial donation to then premier Najib Abdul Razak during an official meeting between Jan 13 to 16, 2010
The sixth defence witness' testimony, given during cross-examination by DPP V Sithambaram, differs from two previous defence witnesses' testimony on the matter
Earlier witnesses, former Malaysian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Syed Omar Syed Mohammad Al Saggaf and former minister in the prime minister's department Jamil Khir Baharom testified that King Abdullah made the offer to Najib on Jan 11, 2010
The two witnesses said that the offer was made at the sidelines of an unofficial meeting between Najib and King Abdullah at Riyadh, before an official visit by Malaysia to Saudi Arabia on Jan 13, 2010
Sithambaram: The offer (by King Abdullah) to make this financial donation was made during the Jan 13 to 16 (2010) meeting
Anifah: Yes
To a question from Sithambaram whether there was any unofficial meeting between Najib and King Abdullah before Jan 13, 2010, Anifah says he has no knowledge of any such meeting
Ex-foreign minister unaware if Jho Low has more clout with Saudi royals11.13am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman testifies he is not aware whether 1MDB-linked fugitive Jho Low (above) has more clout with the Saudi royal family
The sixth defence witness says this during cross-examination by DPP V Sithambaram
Sithambaram is asking Anifah about Najib's past testimony that Jho Low has a lot of influence with the Saudi royal family, to the extent that the wanted businessperson allegedly arranged not only an official meeting between Najib and King Abdullah but also arranged the alleged Saudi royal family donation to Najib's personal account
Anifah tells Sithambaram that he (Anifah) is not aware of Jho Low having allegedly arranged the official meeting between Najib and King Abdullah in January 2010
Sithambaram: Are you aware if Jho Low is closely connected to the Saudi royal family
Anifah: I am not aware
Sithambaram: When did you become aware of it
Anifah: I am not aware of this even today
Sithambaram: Have you met Jho Low
Anifah: I have not met Jho Low
Sithambaram: Najib mentioned that Jho Low has more clout with the Saudi (royal family)
Anifah: I do not know
Sithambaram: As foreign minister, you have no knowledge about Jho Low being connected with the (Saudi royal) family in 2010 or thereafter
Anifah: Yes (agreeing with Sithambaram)
11.10am - Proceedings resume after an hour break
9.58am - The High Court allows DPP V Sithambaram's application for a one-hour break
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allows this when the DPP says that the prosecution was only served with a copy of former foreign minister Anifah Aman's witness statement around 2am this morning
Sithambaram says that the prosecution needs this time to prepare questions for cross-examination of the sixth defence witness, Anifah
Earlier, lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah wrapped up a brief examination-in-chief of Anifah
9.53am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman describes the meeting between former premier Najib Abdul Razak and King Abdullah in Riyadh as an official one
During the examination-in-chief by counsel Shafee Abdullah, Anifah testified:"In foreign affairs, when the meeting of two heads of state is arranged by Wisma Putra, it is considered an official meeting."9.51am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman wraps up reading out the full content of his witness statement
Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah then begins asking questions for examination-in-chief
Najib declines gift of stallions by King Abdullah, says Anifah 9.49am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman testifies that the then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had declined King Abdullah's offer to give him stallions after he praised the paintings of Arabian stallions at the Riyadh Conference Palace in Saudi Arabia
In reading his witness testimony, Anifah testified: "Najib politely declined the offer as he does not ride horses
"Such an offer clearly was a manifestation of the close relations between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia."'Jamil confirmed to Najib that Saudi king wanted donation to enter his account'9.45am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman testifies that then minister in the prime minister's department Jamil Khir Baharom confirmed to then premier Najib Abdul Razak that King Abdullah wished for the donation be channelled into Najib's personal account
The sixth defence witness says this while reading out from his witness statement during examination-in-chief by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah
Anifah testifies he was among the Malaysian delegation at an unofficial meeting with King Abdullah at Riyadh in early January, 2010
He confirms that among the ones in attendance were Najib, then Malaysian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Syed Omar Syed Mohammad Al Saggaf, Jamil Khir, and himself (Anifah)
Anifah says that after Najib had a confidential talk with Saudi ruler King Abdullah after the unofficial meeting, and as he, Najib and Jamil Khir were leaving the meeting hall, Anifah overheard Najib asking Jamil Khir whether Najib was correct in understanding that King Abdullah wanted the financial donation to be channelled into Najib's personal account
"As we were exiting, the prime minister (Najib) had sought clarification from Jamil Khir regarding the confidential dialogue between him and King Abdullah as to whether he was correct in understanding that King Abdullah preferred the financial donation the King was making be transferred to Najib's personal bank account
"I took note of this seriously as Najib was simultaneously talking to both of us
"Jamil confirmed the accuracy of the prime minister's understanding
"It was understood that King Abdullah did not want this contribution of money to be vaguely disbursed and may pose problems in their disbursement
"Putting the money in the personal account of the prime minister would bring about easier controls," Anifah says
9.38am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman (above), 66, begins reading out from his witness statement in examination-in-chief by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah
9.33am - Former foreign minister Anifah Aman enters the witness stand to testify as the sixth defence witness in Najib's RM42 million SRC International trial
9.30am - Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak enters the dock as proceedings begin
Former foreign minister Anifah Aman is the sixth defence witness slated to testify on the 79th day of former premier Najib Abdul Razak's RM42 million SRC International trial
During previous proceedings before the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Wednesday this week, lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said that they will take steps for Anifah to take the witness stand today
In the course of the defence stage of trial since Dec 3 last year, those who have given oral evidence were Najib himself, former AmBank relationship manager Krystle Yap, former Malaysian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Syed Omar Syed Mohammad Al-Saggaf, former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, and former minister in the prime minister's department in charge of Islamic affairs Jamil Khir Baharom
During examination-in-chief by Shafee two days ago, Jamil Khir among others testified that he was made to understand that then Saudi ruler King Abdullah Abdul Aziz al-Saud had promised financial aid to Najib to help strengthen his (Najib) position when the 13th General Election comes in 2013
Jamil Khir claimed the promise was made at the sidelines of an informal meeting between a Najib-led Malaysian delegation and King Abdullah in Riyadh on Jan 11, 2010
However, during cross-examination by DPP V Sithambaram, Jamil Khir, who used to be a member of Najib's cabinet, admitted that he was informed by the accused about the alleged promise of financial aid by King Abdullah. - Mkini

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