PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the High Court that the termination of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail’s (pic) service as Attorney General in 2015 had nothing to do with the investigation on 1MDB.
Testifying as the first defence witness over allegations of misappropriation involving RM2.3bil in 1MDB funds, he said the termination was due to several problems including Gani’s health condition.
Cross-examined by DPP Kamal Baharin Omar, Najib denied that Gani’s service was terminated because he had lost faith in him.
The former prime minister said he initially wanted to recommend Gani to be made a Federal Court judge but the latter did not go through the prescribed process.
“If I did not trust him, I would not propose him as a judge,” he added, Bernama reported.
Asked whether he was aware of the draft charges against him that were widely discussed in 2015 and whether this contributed to the termination of Gani’s tenure as AG, Najib disagreed and said he did not recall the specifics and only heard talk about the draft charges.
He also denied issuing instructions to change the leadership of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), including the removal of its chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed in the same year amid allegations that the change was linked to the anti-graft agency’s investigation into 1MDB.
Kamal Baharin: I put it to you that the 1MDB investigation was the reason both individuals were terminated and transferred.
Najib: I do not agree.
Kamal Baharin: Tan Sri Abdul Gani and Tan Sri Abu Kassim were removed when there were restrictions on the role of the 1MDB Special Task Force?
Najib: I do not agree.
Najib also said the setting up of the task force was in principle invalid as it was illegal and not under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General.
“If the Attorney General establishes a special task force today, it would still be illegal. There is no law or provision about it,” he contended.
On Oct 30 last year, Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
Najib, 71, faces 25 charges, including four charges of using his position to obtain RM2.3bil in 1MDB funds as bribes and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The hearing continues today.
