This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 12, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: The 1MDB-Tanore trial was cut short yesterday as prosecution witness Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi was down with the flu.

The proceedings began at 9am but were adjourned at 10am to make way for the accused, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to attend the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib had notified Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that Shahrol was not well, but could continue to testify under cross-examination.

When hearing resumed at noon, however, senior Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram told the judge that Shahrol’s condition had not improved. Sri Ram’s then requested for the trial to be adjourned to tomorrow, and the judge agreed.

During the one-hour hearing earlier, defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah verified with Shahrol a Dec 30, 2011 presentation to 1MDB’s (1Malaysia Development Bhd) board of directors.

Muhammad Shafee noted that the presentation was mainly to introduce PetroSaudi Oil Services Ltd (PSOSL).

Shahrol agreed, but said he was unsure why 1MDB’s former chief investment officer (CIO) Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, who had prepared the presentation, had focused on PSOSL specifically.

“The presentation was merely for information purposes, to get to know our partner PetroSaudi International [Ltd] better. There was no discussion of the board to go [invest] in PSOSL,” he said.

Muhammad Shafee also went through 1MDB’s board endorsement document on the appointment of Nik Faisal as 1MDB CIO in 2010, noting one of his work experiences was with UBG Bhd.

“UBG Bhd was Jho Low’s company, so Nik Faisal was a recruitment from one of Jho Low’s companies?” Muhammad Shafee asked.

Shahrol agreed and verified that the appointment also had been endorsed by Najib.

Asked if Jho Low suggested Nik Faisal for the post, Shahril said: “Initially I asked Casey Tang, who was already in TIA (Terengganu Investment Authority) at the time, whether he can take over the role [of] CIO. When he said ‘no’, then I asked Jho whether he has any name to recommend, and Nik’s name came up.”