I was told not to publish 1MDB audit without Najib's 'green light', former audit director tells court

KUALA LUMPUR: A former audit director told the High Court that she could not print the final audit report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) until given the "green light" to do so by Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Saadatul Nafisah Bashir Ahmad, 65, said former chief secretary Tan Sri Ali Hamsa told her this when she handed him an updated draft of the final audit report at his office on Feb 29,2016.

"He informed me not to print the final audit report until Najib agreed to it and gave a directive.

"As I remember, Ali said 'don't print the report until his green light'," she said here on Monday (Jan 13).

The witness, who was reading her witness statement in the joint Public Accounts Committee (PAC) trial of Najib and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, said Ali told her the report would cause have a political impact on the country.

"I notified (former auditor-general) Tan Sri Ambrin Buang about this and he took note of it," she added.

Najib is accused of using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was tabled to the PAC to avoid any action against him.

He allegedly committed the offence in Putrajaya between Feb 22 and 26,2016.

Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib at the same place and time.

The hearing continues before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan Tuesday (Jan 14).