PUTRAJAYA: Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) chairman Tan Sri Che Lodin Wok Kamarudin refuted claims that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, influenced the company's board of directors.
Che Lodin testified at the High Court here that he was not aware of any role played by Low in influencing decisions on joint ventures, investments, or bond issuances in the company.
"No, I was not aware nor did anyone in management ever convey to me that he had such an influence. The board made decisions based on representations made by management and various consultants such as Goldman Sachs, Wong & Partners, and Lazard to name a few," he said.
"Jho Low had no role or authority in 1MDB," he added.
Che Lodin was under examination-in-chief by Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin in the RM2.28bil 1MDB graft trial involving Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
He also said on Monday (Feb 24) that no one else in the company appeared to influence or direct him or the rest of the board during his tenure as a director at 1MDB from 2009 to 2016.
Wan Azwan asked if it was ever suggested that Jho Low was a proxy for Datuk Seri Najib, to which Che Lodin replied, "No."
The court had previously heard from other witnesses, including former CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and former general counsel Jasmine Loo, that Low was seen as Najib's proxy and often used his influence as someone close to the former prime minister.
Che Lodin said he did not know of Low when he was first appointed as a director of the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), 1MDB's earlier entity, on August 11, 2009.
Wan Azwan asked if Che Lodin was aware that Jho Low held the position of Special Advisor to the Terengganu Sultan, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, during the initial stages of TIA. Che Lodin replied, "I was not aware."
On October 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 Tuesday (Feb 25).
