Najib Trial Day 39 Witness Denies Receiving Instruction From Jho Low To Transfer Rm42m

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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 its 39th day 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 HIGHLIGHTSShafee to resume cross-examination in afternoonWitness denies receiving instruction from Jho Low to transfer RM42mDefence counsel in heated argument with witness, DPPNajib said RM42m transfer into account damaging to reputation: WitnessYR1M had separate accounts for halal, non-halal fundingsEx-YR1M CEO joined Jho Low's company in 2004Najib arrives in courtShafee to resume cross-examination in afternoon12.51pm - Najib Abdul Razak's lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah will resume cross-examination of former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) CEO Ung Su Ling in today's afternoon session
This is relayed by the former prime minister's lawyer Harvinderjit Singh to Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali
Harvinderjit says he is nearing the end of his own cross-examination of the 48th witness
Nazlan then allows proceedings to be adjourned for lunch earlier and to resume at 2.20pm
Witness denies receiving instruction from Jho Low to transfer RM42m11.50am - Former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) CEO Ung Su Ling denies the defence's assertion that she sought instruction from wanted fugitive Jho Low over the RM42 million transferred from Ihsan Perdana to Najib's two AmBank accounts
“No, I was trying to get instruction from Azlin (Alias, the then private secretary to former premier Najib Abdul Razak)," she tells lawyer Harvinderjit Singh
Najib's defence counsel was asking her whether the reference to the word 'friend' in a chat log of a conversation between her and then Ambank Relationship Manager Joanna Yu in Feb 2015, referred to Jho Low
The chat log was in relation to the transfer of RM10 million from Ihsan Perdana to Najib's 880 account
She had earlier also refuted Harvinderjit's assertion that a chat log between her and Yu over the transfer of RM27 million and RM5 million from Ihsan Perdana to Najib's 880 and 906 AmBank accounts in Dec 2014, was in reference to Jho Low, whom she was alleged to be seeking instructions from
Defence counsel in heated argument with witness, DPP10.40am - A heated argument ensues between DPP V Sithambaram, defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh and witness Ung Su Ling when the latter is being cross-examined by Harvinderjit
This occurs as Harvinderjit was questioning the former CEO of Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) over what transpired in 2014 when she ordered Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB) to transfer a total of RM32 million into Najib Abdul Razak's two AmBank accounts
Harvinderjit appears to be upset with Ung when she keeps trying to further explain her answers to his questions, instead of stating whether she agrees or disagrees with the lawyer
Telling the witness to just answer 'yes' or 'no' to his questions, Harvinderjit then tells off the witness for purportedly looking at the prosecution team when answering his questions instead of looking at the judge
This prompted Sithambaram to rise from his seat and raise his stern objection, questioning the defence lawyer if he was insinuating that the prosecution was coaching Ung
"What are you insinuating? We are not into coaching witness," Sithambaram says
"Don’t push it," he adds later
Najib said RM42m transfer into account damaging to reputation: Witness10.10am - Then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak allegedly said the RM42 million transferred into his bank account was damaging to his reputation, testified former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) CEO Ung Su Ling (photo, below)
The 48th witness tells lawyer Harvinderjit Singh that Najib told her this when they met somewhere in 2015, following a Wall Street Journal report on the alleged transfer
"What he (Najib) said was that it was very damaging to him, his reputation and career and that he did not know where the money was transferred from to his account. I do not remember if he said or did not say the money was from IPSB (Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd)," she says
When Harvinderjit asks if Najib expressed shock, she says Najib was very annoyed
She adds that she apologised to him and offered to resign from her position as YR1M CEO
YR1M had separate accounts for halal, non-halal fundings9.45am - Former CEO of Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia Ung Su Ling tells the court that YR1M had separate bank accounts for different funders
She says this was a precaution as some project recipients might be sensitive when it comes to receiving projects with funds derived from gaming proceeds
"So, as a precaution, we separated (the funds)," she testifies
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh, Ung said she had met Najib, who was one of the YR1M trustees, about five times on official matters concerning the foundation and its projects
Ex-YR1M CEO joined Jho Low's company in 20049.30am - The hearing begins with the continuation of cross-examination on former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) CEO, Ung Su Ling
Picking up from where lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah left yesterday, defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh starts his line of questioning with matters pertaining to Ung's witness statement preparation
The counsel then scrutinises the 48th prosecution witness' background, including her experience working in Wynton Group, a company owned by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho, (photo, above) or better known as Jho Low
Ung testifies that she first knew Jho Low while he was still studying at Wharton University in Pennsylvania, sometime in 2000 or 2001
She tells the court Jho Low then had wanted to come back to Malaysia and start a company, similar to a start-up he had done in the United States
According to Ung, she joined Wynton Group in 2004 together with three others, including her former boss at Marican and Partners asset management company
Ung continued to work with Wynton until 2006, when she joined CIMB Bank
Najib arrives in court9.19am - Najib enters dock as proceedings begin
9.04am - Accused Najib Abdul Razak enters the court and takes a seat in the front row of the public gallery to await the beginning of proceedings
Also seen in court are Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and DPPs, as well as the former prime minister's counsel Harvinderjit Singh and other members of the defence team
Najib Abdul Razak's defence team is set to turn up the heat today in its cross-examination of former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) chief executive officer Ung Su Ling
The former prime minister's lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah hinted as much yesterday when he informed the court that the defence's line of questioning will enter areas of "controversy"
As proceedings before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali enters its 39th day this morning, the defence is expected to grill 48th witness Ung over her testimony
During examination-in-chief yesterday, she said that the RM42 million that flowed from 1MDB's corporate social responsibility (CSR) partner Ihsan Perdana to Najib's two AmBank accounts between December 2014 and February 2015 did not originate from YR1M
She also testified that Najib's then private secretary, the late Azlin Alias, ordered her to direct Ihsan Perdana's CEO Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman to make the transfer; that she was informed the transfer was made for CSR purposes; and that she was at that time unaware that the two bank accounts belonged to Najib, among others
- Mkini

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