PUTRAJAYA: The High Court was told that nothing "sinister" occurred in a meeting between 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and Goldman Sachs in November 2009.
Former 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Che Lodin Wok Kamaruddin testified that he was present when former prime minister and 1MDB board of advisors chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak, met with Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.
Several other Goldman Sachs executives, including Tim Leissner, were also present at the meeting, which took place in Najib’s suite at the Four Seasons Hotel, New York, during his official visit in November 2009.
The 12th defence witness said he went to New York at the request of former 1MDB CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi to join Najib's delegation, who said that Najib would meet with foreign investors.
Che Lodin, under examination-in-chief by Najib's lawyer Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin in the RM2.28bil 1MDB graft trial on Tuesday, said that apart from Shahrol, fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, was also present at the suite.
However, Low was in another room and did not participate in the discussion.
Wan Azwan: Was Najib’s meeting with Goldman Sachs unusual or sinister, given that 1MDB was already an existing Goldman Sachs client?
Che Lodin: No. The meeting was neither unusual nor sinister. From my understanding, it was part of a broader effort to engage foreign investors and promote Malaysia as an investment destination.
The witness said that post-meeting, Najib did not give any directives to the board or management following the "casual meeting" with Goldman Sachs.
Wan Azwan: Was there any indication that Datuk Seri Najib committed 1MDB to exclusively use Goldman Sachs for future deals during that meeting?
Che Lodin: No.
Wan Azwan: Did Datuk Seri Najib ever instruct the board to approve specific Goldman Sachs deals, including 1MDB Energy Ltd, 1MDB Energy Langat Ltd, and 1MDB Global Investment Ltd?
Che Lodin: No.
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 tomorrow (February 26).
