1MDB witness: Minutes of meeting were untrue but I signed because Najib signed

KUALA LUMPUR: A witness says he signed the minutes of a meeting solely because prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had signed the document first, and he did it despite knowing the minutes were not true.

Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, 49, said this during cross-examination by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in the 1MDB trial here on Thursday (Oct 17).

The witness was earlier referred to the minutes of a meeting between the chairman of 1MDB’s board of advisors and the CEO (Shahrol) dated March 30,2011.

Shahrol said he was given the minutes by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, who told him that Najib had agreed to it and Shahrol should sign it, too.

To a question by Shafee, Shahrol agreed he did not understand what the minutes were about but he signed the document all the same.

Shafee: You have signed the document approving the minutes taking place. You signed it because Najib signed it although it does not make sense to you.

Shahrol: I signed it on the basis that this is an instruction from Najib, therefore we must execute it.

Shafee was dissatisfied with the witness’s answer, to which Shahrol replied: “But he (Najib) already signed it”.

“At the time, I still see Jho as very much representing the interest of the prime minister, ” Shahrol said.

Shahrol said he took it as “the kind of document that Jho and the prime minister had agreed to, and we had to execute it.”

Shafee: You signed it under "recorded by Shahrol".

Shahrol: That's not true (I didn’t record it).

Shafee: You were willing to put your signature under an untrue document.

Shahrol: I was willing to sign it under the consideration that the ultimate power of 1MDB was with Najib (who had already signed it).

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah then asked the witness again to firm up his answer.

“I agree that this was not a truthful record but I signed on the basis of the belief that Jho was working with Najib on these matters and Najib wanted them executed, ” Shahrol said.

Najib, 66, faces 25 charges in total – four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.3bil; and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.

He faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the sum or value of the gratification if found guilty.

The hearing before Justice Sequerah continues on Monday (Oct 21).