KUALA LUMPUR: A witness was chided by the presiding High Court judge for her brash response during cross-examination in the lawsuit filed by SRC International Sdn Bhd and Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd against Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Raja Mohzan told Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia former chief executive Ung Su Ling to stop making “unnecessary remarks”.
The witness appeared combative when cross-examined by Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee on the identity of a “friend” in her text messages with AmBank former relationship manager Joanna Yu, who handled the ex-premier’s bank accounts.
Muhammad Farhan suggested the “friend” Yu was referring to in her messages was fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or better known as Jho Low.
Ung replied that she did not know who Yu had meant.
She said the lawyer was not in the conversation and did not know the context of the text.
Muhammad Farhan then highlighted a “very intense” conversation between the two.
Muhammad Farhan: You and Joanna were doing a rapid-fire chat, at least based on the timestamps.
Ung: Yes.
The lawyer said that despite Ung claiming not to know who “the friend” was in the chat, she later replied in the same chat to Yu with “I will clear with our friend and get back to you”.
Muhammad Farhan: So, it’s quite clear that the reference to ‘our friend’ and ‘your friend’ is the same. Who is ‘our friend’?
Ung: Our friend would be Datuk Azlin Alias.
(The late Azlin was Najib’s former principal private secretary.)
Muhammad Farhan: So Yu knows Datuk Azlin?
Ung: I don’t know if she knows him, but he asked us to open this account.
The witness said that “our friend” was simply a term they used when they did not want to refer to someone by name.
Muhammad Farhan then suggested that Ung was being dishonest, which prompted her response: “Aiyoh, please lah. I don’t. I disagree.”
Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin interjected the cross-examination.
“Stop making unnecessary remarks,” he told the witness.
Ung then apologised to the court.
In May 2022, SRC International and Gandingan Mentari filed the lawsuit against Najib, accusing him of breach of fiduciary duties, knowing receipt of funds, dishonest assistance, tort of misfeasance and abuse of power in relation to the misappropriation of SRC International funds.
The plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration that Najib is liable for receiving RM42mil and claiming damages for knowing receipt, dishonest assistance, tort of misfeasance and abuse of power.
The hearing continues on Oct 13.
