Prosecution questions Najib on discrepancy in statements to MACC, court

KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s SRC International Sdn Bhd trial at the High Court here yesterday pressed the former Prime Minister repeatedly for answers on the discrepancy in his statements to the court and the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC).

Ad-hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram, questioned Najib, 67, during cross-examination whether he had indeed admitted to investigators who recorded the statements that he recognised several documents relating to SRC International which were produced as exhibits in court.

The three documents are the minutes of meeting of SRC International that were signed by Najib in his capacity as the Minister of Finance (Incorporated).

Sithambaram then referred Najib to his witness statement relating to the loan application from SRC to the Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) where he had stated “Saya mengesahkan saya pernah melihat dokumen yang dirujuk dan semua kandungan dalam dokumen ini adalah dalam pengetahuan saya”. (I confirm that I have seen the document referred to and all the contents in the document is to my knowledge”.

Sithambaram: I put it to you, at the time when you signed this witness statement, you are aware that you already made the statement to MACC? Yes or no? Najib: Correct. Sithambaram: I am putting it to you, despite knowing you already made the statement to MACC, you proceed to say you have not seen the document?

Najib: True. There is a reason for it. Najib also kept reiterating that during questioning by MACC, he was only shown the documents briefly and had made such a statement because he saw signatures resembling his on the papers.

“I was confused by the signatures purportedly resembling mine. I assume it was my signature. I cannot remember everything, it happened nine years ago,” the Pekan MP said.

Further quizzed by Sithambaram on why he was unable to confirm the authenticity of his signatures on the document during court proceedings, Najib said he vaguely remembered it and was merely basing it on his ‘purported’ signatures.

“I signed many documents everyday...you know, running the country. You have 1001 things. This happened so long ago. When the case got into court, only then I know there is ‘penipuan’ (fraud),” he said.

Najib insisted that he made the confirmation before as he based it on the signatures which looked like his and he was not shown the original documents.

“I was not aware there were scams going on. This was only raised in court...but now I have doubts about the signatures,” he said, adding that he was ‘misled’ by the signature.

Sithambaram: I put it to you, you were not misled by the signature. It is you who are misleading the court. Najib: No, no.

On November 11 last year, Najib was ordered to enter his defence on seven charges of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds, comprising three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of position in relation to the SRC funds. The hearing before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues today (January 7). - Bernama