LIM: I HAD NO INFO ON DRAFT CHARGES

DAP adviser says he did not know details of investigation papers when writing article on 1MDB scandal in 2019

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang admitted that he had no knowledge of details concerning investigations into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal when he wrote an article about it.

Lim was testifying in the trial of a suit filed against him by former attorney-general (A-G) Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali over remarks in the 2019 article linking the latter to the scandal.

During cross-examination by Apandi’s counsel M. Vishvanathan, Lim said he had no personal knowledge of the investigation papers’ (IPs) details on the 1MDB case.

In his witness statement, Lim said the article was his opinion on the matter and he knew about the scandal because of the massive media coverage.

VISVANATHAN: Bearing in mind that you are one of the leaders in DAP and you held a position in the federal government at that time you wrote this article, were you part of the investigation team in the 1MDB scandal?

LIM: I was not.

VISVANATHAN: So, you wrote this article by virtue of not being a part of any investigating body or team that perused the IPs?

LIM: Correct.

Lim turned evasive when asked about his claims that Apandi’s predecessor, former A-G Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, was sacked over plans to prefer charges against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the 1MDB scandal.

The Iskandar Puteri member of parliament was asked about the charge sheets allegedly drafted by Gani in 2015 against Najib in relation to the SRC International Sdn Bhd company connected to 1MDB and if he had seen them.

VISVANATHAN: Were there draft charges?

LIM: I don’t know.

VISVANATHAN: So, you say you don’t know whether it (draft charges) exists or not, but you happily wrote in your statement that there were draft charges. You don’t know but stated in the affirmative that there were charges... So, this (statement) is false and erroneous?

Lim paused before answering: “I think it is not false because it is validated by the statement of the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) chief commissioner two years ago. So, it is correct. It’s on public record.”

Vishvanathan asked Lim if there were any documents to substantiate his claims over Gani’s removal or a statutory declaration, but the witness repeated his answer.

“Two years have passed. There must be some documents you relied on,” Vishvanathan said before Lim replied that there were no such documents.

Visvanathan asked the court to take note that Lim took a long time to ponder and refused to answer the questions put to him repeatedly.

He said Lim’s contention on

Gani’s termination was mere speculation and based on unfounded rumours.

Lim disagreed with Visvanathan’s statement.

Lim will continue giving his testimony when the trial continues today before High Court judge Datuk Azimah Omar.

Apandi, now a solicitor, claimed that Lim, in an article he wrote and published on online news portal Malaysiakini, implied that the former had a crucial role in aiding and abetting the 1MDB fiasco.

The article titled “Dangerous fallacy to think Malaysia is on the road to integrity” was published on May 6, 2019.

Apandi said the article had tainted his reputation by claiming that he was directly involved, assisted and abetted in the 1MDB scandal.