KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 22): Datuk Seri Najib Razak has informed the High Court here that he is not ready to testify as a star witness in the trial of Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad, who is facing a charge of failing to declare RM1 million allegedly received from the jailed former prime minister.

Najib, 69, made an appearance in court on Thursday (Dec 22) where he is slated to testify.

However, he informed High Court judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin that he was not prepared to testify without the presence of his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is keeping a watching brief on the case.

“I ask that my testimony be given on Jan 5 (2023) because my lawyer will be present, as it is important for him to be present with me. He is currently away and is not in Kuala Lumpur and could not be here today (Thursday),” Najib, clad in a blue suit, told the judge from the witness stand.

Deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Azmi had left it to Jamil to decide on the next course of action, whilst Shahrir’s lawyer Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin did not have any objections.

Jamil then acquiesced to Najib’s request and allowed him to testify on Jan 5, 2023.

Najib is currently in Kajang Prison, where he is serving his 12-year jail sentence for his SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

Shahrir, 72, is facing a charge of money laundering by not stating his real income in the income tax return form for assessment year 2013, which is a violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, on the RM1 million believed to be from unlawful activities, which he received from Najib.

Shahrir, who is a former Johor Bahru member of Parliament, was charged with committing the offence at the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on April 25, 2014.

The charge, under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, provides imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of RM5 million, or both, if convicted.