KUALA LUMPUR – The 10th witness of the high profile 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case involving former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was bombarded with questions by the defence counsel during the cross examination today.
Although some of the questions from Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah seemed controversial, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 1MDB, Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman answered them calmly.
During the cross examination, Muhammad Shafee focussed a lot on the involvement of fugitive businessman, Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in the top management and financial of 1MDB.
PIX: SHAFIY ZUL / MalaysiaGazette /15 FEBRUARY 2021
Among his questions involved how a highly paid CEO like Mohd Hazem could not question Jho Low over her actions.
In his early witness testimony, he said that all orders from Jho Low must be followed as he thought that they were orders from the then Prime Minister.
However, Mohd Hazem also confessed that he never checked with the Prime Minister on the orders he received from Jho Low. He also mentioned the name of the late Datuk Azlin Alias, who was the then Private Secretary of Najib in his testimony.
SHAFEE: The late Azlin is no longer around. We can’t even see the shadow of Jho Low until today, thus, I am sorry that I need to ask you these questions.
I want to know, according to your logic, why was Jho Low always in secrecy? He was not in the board of directors, he did not appear in 1MDB? Didn’t you question this, especially when you were the CEO?
MOHD HAZEM: It really doesn’t make sense but I think that Jho Low’s order came from the Prime Minister (Najib).
SHAFEE: You didn’t try to ask the Prime Minister?
MOHD HAZEM: Er, I did not ask him.
SHAFEE: You did not ask the Prime Minister although sometimes, you feel that Jho Low’s order did not make sense, especially from the financial aspect?
MOHD HAZEM: No.
SHAFEE: Meeting with the Prime Minister and Jho Low. There were two level? Isn’t it that way? When you arrived, he already had a meeting with the Prime Minister before that. You met Jho Low after that, right?
So, why did you make assumptions that the orders given by Jho Low were from the Prime Minister? You were not in the meeting, right?
MOHD HAZEM: I also got orders from the late Datuk Azlin.
SHAFEE: Do you agree that you should cross check those orders with the Prime Minister too?
MOHD HAZEM: I agree but I did not have the access.
Meanwhile, Mohd Hazem also alleged that he could not reveal any flaw in 1MDB as Najib was the Prime Minister.
SHAFEE: I want to know, if you think that the Prime Minister you speak of now wanted to frame you, he would have asked you to leave without any compensation? But you were paid with a bonus of RM2.7 million.
MOHD HAZEM: I agree.
SHAFEE: Isn’t this like a comedy? For all the crimes instructed and done by you were rewarded with RM2.7 million?
MOHD HAZEM: Yes.
PIX: HAZROL ZAINAL / MalaysiaGazette / 15 FEBRUARY 2021.
Najib, the Member of Parliament of Pekan is facing four counts of charges for abusing his position to gain RM2.3 billion in gratification from 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering charges involving the same amount of funds.
The proceeding before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah will resume tomorrow. –MalaysiaGazette
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