PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the High Court here on Friday (Jan 24) that he had brief experience in corporate governance prior to his leap into politics.
"I was never really involved in corporate, per se," he said.
Najib, who was under cross-examination by his lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, was asked about his qualifications in his career during the RM2.28bil 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial here on Friday.
Muhammad Shafee: There are MPs and politicians who are also corporate men. Were you ever close to that kind?
Najib: I would not describe myself as super corporate. I was more of a politician and somebody in government, more akin to looking at overall government policy and execution of policy.
Muhammad Shafee: Were you a full time politician?
Najib: Yes, I would say so. (Been a politician) For so long.
Najib became an elected MP at 23, replacing his late father in the Pekan parliamentary seat in 1976.
The 71-year-old was released from the stand after Muhammad Shafee completed his re-examination in the trial.
Najib has been on the stand for 26 days since the defence trial began on Dec 2 last year.
The defence also called former Kuala Lumpur High Court Senior Assistant Registrar Catherine Nicholas to confirm appeal records which she had checked and endorsed in relation to Najib and former 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy's 1MDB audit tampering trial before Justice Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan (now Court of Appeal judge).
On Oct 30, Najib was ordered by the High Court to enter his defence on four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil gratification from 1MDB's funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Feb 10.
