PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the High Court that he confronted fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho about his widely reported lavish lifestyle.
The former prime minister testified that he was aware of Low's reputation at the time, as stories circulated about Low's extravagant spending on properties and paintings.
Media reports indicated that Low - also known as Jho Low - spent large sums on a penthouse in New York, a mansion in Beverly Hills, and artworks by Monet and Andy Warhol.
Najib said he was uncomfortable with Low's lifestyle and confronted him about it.
"He (Low) kept saying that he was doing this (purchases) for Sheikh Mansour (bin Zayed Al Nahyan). That was his explanation to me," Najib said during cross-examination at the RM2.28bil 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial on Thursday.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam suggested that Najib, being at the "apex authority" level, could have investigated the truth of Low's claims.
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Najib responded that such an investigation would involve another government, as Sheikh Mansour was the brother of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The former premier disagreed with the suggestion that he deliberately avoided finding the truth about Low.
DPP Muhammad Mustaffa: You were shutting your eyes because you did not want to know the obvious.
Najib: I disagree. That's why I confronted him.
On October 30, Najib was ordered by the High Court to enter his defence on four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil in gratification from 1MDB's funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah this afternoon.
