Not proper to use Arab donation to buy luxury watch – Anifah
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here was yesterday told that it was not proper for former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to buy a luxury watch for his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor using the so-called Saudi Arabia donation.
Former Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, 67, said he agreed with ad-hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram’s suggestion over the usage of so-called donation from the late King Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.
Sithambaram: Buying a Chanel watch for half a million ringgit for Najib’s wife, would that be proper usage?
Anifah: Of course not. Previously, it was established in court that Najib had spent US$130,625 (RM466,330.11) at a Chanel boutique in Honolulu, in the United States of America (US) in 2014 on a luxury watch as a birthday gift for Rosmah.
Earlier, when reading out his witness statement, the former Kimanis Member of Parliament said it was understood that King Abdullah did not want his monetary contribution to be “vaguely disbursed” as it may pose problems in its disbursements and putting the money into Najib’s personal account would bring about easier control.
Anifah, who is the sixth defence witness, told the court that the former premier did ask for his opinion about the financial donation transferred into his personal bank account.
“I assured him that it was alright since the donation was to be used for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and political purposes and it was a common practice in Umno for the president of the party to be in charge personally of most of the political funds,” he added.
He said Najib had informed him that the donation was for CSR purposes and that the cabinet was not alerted of the donation as it was a personal donation from King Abdullah to Najib.
To another question, Anifah said he never met fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low during his tenure as foreign minister.
Before the proceedings ended yesterday, Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, informed Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that the report by a handwriting expert on Najib’s signatures on 13 key SRC International Sdn Bhd documents would be ready by February 26.
“The expert has finished examining the disputed documents yesterday (February 12), and could wrap up the report, latest by February 26. Should the expert hand in his report very late, we will provide the report to the prosecution within 12 hours,” he said.
Sithambaram, however, said it would be impossible for the prosecution to go through the report in a short time.
Following which, Justice Mohd Nazlan ordered the defence to give an update on the report on Monday.
Muhammad Shafee also informed the court that the defence would arrange for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) investigating officer, known as Nasarudin, to testify on Monday next week as the seventh defence witness.
Najib was making 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 continues on Monday. - Bernama