PUTRAJAYA: The relationship between Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was like "father and son", the High Court heard.
Former minister at the Prime Minister's Department (religious affairs) Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom testified that he had observed the two interact, walking "hand-in-hand" during an unofficial meeting in Riyadh on Jan 11, 2010.
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Jamil was part of the Malaysian delegation that was accompanying Najib on the trip.
"For example, before they walked to the centre of the Meeting Hall (at the Saudi Royal Palace) for discussion, I observed King Abdullah holding Najib's hand while heading there together.
"I regarded that via the way they walked, talked and interacted. It looked like an interaction between a father and a son," Jamil said at the RM2.28bil 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial here on Wednesday (Feb 12).
The witness also said he had heard King Abdullah wish to make a personal donation to Najib during the meeting.
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After Najib and King Abdullah parted ways, Jamil said Najib appeared excited about King Abdullah's promise of financial assistance.
He said he understood the funds were meant to go personally to Najib due to certain reasons.
Jamil was testifying in Najib’s RM2.28bil 1MDB trial.
On Oct 30, last year, 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 Thursday (Feb 13).
