This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on December 5, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Former finance minister II Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah was intent on tarnishing Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s reputation on the witness stand, as he harbours a deep-seated grudge against the former premier, claimed the latter.

Najib said this yesterday during his examination-in-chief by lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, who asked him why Ahmad Husni was not happy with him.

“I believe Ahmad Husni harbours dissatisfaction [with] me following my decision to transfer him from being MoF II (minister of finance II) to the Economic Planning Unit, [which] resulted in him [resigning] immediately in 2016. He (Ahmad Husni) used the witness stand as a stage to voice his dissatisfaction openly.

“There were other incidences — which I choose not to reveal — which clearly show why he misunderstood my actions that resulted in him [harbouring] a deep grudge against me,” he said.

The former premier was addressing Ahmad Husni’s testimony that he was prohibited by Najib to go to Switzerland in 2015, to unfreeze SRC deposits which were said to have been kept in Swiss banks.

Najib said the issue was taken out of context as Ahmad Husni had asked him informally whether he should go to Switzerland to help and resolve the issue as he had some friends there.

“I told him there was not a need to go to Switzerland as SRC had been trying to resolve it. Besides this, Husni also approved a finance ministry memorandum dated Nov 4, 2015 to give SRC a short-term loan on this. The loan was for the purpose of SRC to resolve the matter with the Swiss government,” he added.

On Ahmad Husni’s claim that he was reduced to an “office boy” when he was told not to be involved in any of SRC’s matters, Najib said he never instructed the former second finance minister to stay out of SRC’s affairs.

“Documents and evidence adduced in this court showed otherwise as Ahmad Husni had been referred [to in] and [had] approved [of] several finance ministry memoranda dated Feb 2, 2012, and the treasury memo dated Nov 4, 2015 shows his involvement in SRC.

“His allegation that he is regarded as an ‘office boy’ is comedic as his signature as MoF II shows otherwise. Ahmad Husni was also present in the Feb 8, 2012 cabinet meeting where the second government guarantee was approved to SRC and he did not raise any issue,” said the former premier and finance minister.

He further dismissed Ahmad Husni’s contention as illogical and said the latter would have failed in his duties if he truly believed that SRC required observation at that time.

“It is certainly odd that he described himself as an ‘office boy’ when he himself wanted to remain in the finance ministry despite feeling so. This shows the contradiction of what he said on the witness stand in contrast to what had actually happened,” the former prime minister added.

Najib further denied ordering the Minister of Finance (Inc) (MoF Inc) and finance ministry to stop observing SRC, and said that on the contrary, he told them to carry out their duties as usual and implement MoF Inc guidelines on SRC, including performing due diligence on its investments.

The hearing before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues on Monday morning.