Friday 29 Mar 2024
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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on December 10, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak said his principal private secretary, the late Datuk Azlin Alias, informed him that he would receive further donations in foreign funds from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah in 2014 — on top of US$800 million purportedly gifted by the monarch in early 2013.

Najib said he believes Azlin may have been told by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) about the additional funds.

“At the same time, I was shown a letter dated June 1, 2014 from the same emissary of King Abdullah as per the three earlier letters. I was made to understand the donation and the letters were immediately given to the bank (AmBank), Bank Negara Malaysia and then governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

“This formed the basis of my belief that any funds in the [three] new accounts [opened to receive the funds] could be used on my own free will,” he said, replying to lawyer Rahmat Hazlan’s questions.

When shown by the lawyer the transfer of almost RM50 million in foreign currencies from Singapore’s BlackRock Commodities (Global)  Ltd and the Seychelles’ Vista Equity International Partners between June 23, 2014 and Dec 19, 2014, Najib said he thought the amount was from the donation, as mentioned by Azlin.

“As I said just now, I was informed by Azlin in 2014 that there will be a transfer of foreign funds as an addition to the donation from King Abdullah and was shown the letter given to AmBank and Zeti,” he said yesterday.

The former premier verified the letter dated June 1, 2014, saying this was the same letter that was also kept by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

 

‘I did not formally check with Wisma Putra about donation’

Najib admitted that he did not formally checked with Wisma Putra about the purported Saudi Arabian donation as King Abdullah had told him privately that the kingdom would support him during an official visit in 2010.

“As a result of the role played by [Jho Low] and other things [which] strengthened my belief in the strong relationship between both countries, [and] with him (Jho Low) as the intermediary, there is no valid reason for me to doubt the validity of the donation.

“However, I would like to emphasise my belief that the funds were a donation is not something which I kept confidential. I had informed AmBank and all the transactions were reported to the central bank and Zeti herself. Never at anytime that it had become an issue,” he said.

When shown the four letters from the Saudi royal family, Najib replied the letters are from Jho Low, as he had mentioned.

“This shows the close relationship he has with the Saudi royal family. I also realise these letters were handed to AmBank and Bank Negara.

“I felt relieved that the letters were reported to Bank Negara and Zeti herself. The fact shows the central bank did not raise any red flags between 2011 and 2014 although all the transactions led me to believe everything was in order,” he added.

Najib said he did not expect any donations from King Abdullah or the Saudis after the former passed away on Jan 23, 2015.

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