KUALA LUMPUR (July 2): The SRC International Sdn Bhd trial enters Day 31 with the prosecution's star witness Datuk Suboh Md Yassin continuing to be cross-examined.
The trial left off yesterday with lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah suggesting that the "rascal" Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil -- managing director and CEO of SRC -- could have forged the witness' signatures on some bank transfer documents after showing that the signatures on the scanned copies and hardcopies were not a match.
In response, the witness had said "maybe" Nik Faisal, whose whereabouts are unknown, could have faked his signatures.
The witness also testified yesterday that even while he was on the run in Bangkok, Thailand, he still signed a document ratifying Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd as SRC's corporate social responsibility (CSR) partner on instructions from Nik Faisal, whom he believed was based in Shanghai, China at that time following a phone call between the duo.
Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd's accounts were eventually used as 'transit' accounts to enable the movement of RM42 million in cash from SRC to its unit Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd to two AmBank Islamic accounts that belonged to former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Suboh said "orang atasan" (top people), whom he understood to be Najib, had ordered that SRC undertake charitable works.
Earlier yesterday, Najib had also sought leave for a day to attend Parliament as he wanted to participate in the debate over the bills regarding the MP asset declaration and lowering the voting age to 18.
However, High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who is presiding over the SRC trial, refused to give him time off.
"I have considered the argument for and against the request for adjournment. The parliamentary session is proceeding for a number of weeks and it's also not certain when voting on any particular important issues will take place.
"This is not a question of the court obstructing the accused from attending parliament [as] he is not prevented from attending [Parliament] whenever court is not in session," Justice Nazlan said when delivering his ruling.
Najib faces seven counts of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving RM42 million from SRC.
The Edge is bringing the trial involving Malaysia’s former highest-ranking politician who led the country for nine years live.