Ex-CEO says Umno benefited from 1MDB, though no evidence of money flow
Former 1MDB chief executive Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman arriving to testify at the Najib Razak corruption trial today. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: The former head of 1Malaysia Development Berhad told a High Court today that he still believed Umno had benefited from the sovereign wealth fund despite the absence of evidence of monies being sent to the political party.
Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman, 47, testified that although the idea of 1MDB existing purely to service Umno might sound insane, he believed it to be so as this was conveyed to him by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in the presence of the late Azlin Alias, who was principal private secretary to Najib Razak.
“I will repeat what I have said before that in 1MDB, it was either you followed along (with the instructions) or not,” said Hazem under cross-examination by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, counsel for former prime minister Najib Razak who is on trial for alleged corruption relating to 1MDB funds.
Shafee: I’m asking you a fundamental question. At this point, another 1MDB former CEO, Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi never said that 1MDB existed for Umno. You are the first witness to say that. Why would Umno benefit from it? How can you believe that?
Hazem: Basically, I was just following the instructions. From the legal perspective, it doesn’t make any sense.
Shafee: Now you know that benefiting Umno like this is criminal?
Hazem: Yes.
Muhammad Shafee said the idea of Umno benefiting from 1MDB could lead to the imprisonment of a lot of people, including the 1MDB board of directors, to which Mohd Hazem agreed.
However, the witness said throughout his two-year tenure as the CEO of 1MDB, he never saw any evidence of benefits being delivered to Umno or Najib himself.
Hazem said he did raise concerns over the matter (1MDB to service Umno) to former 1MDB chairman Lodin Wok Kamaruddin.
Shafee further suggested that Hazem was not being honest when he claimed that he was too terrified of Najib that he tolerated the criminal ways in 1MDB, to which the witness answered it was his opinion then (when he was still the CEO of 1MDB).
Shafee: I’m putting it to you that if you were part of it, you could tolerate it.
Hazem: I disagree.
Shafee: Yet when you resigned, they awarded you with a bonus. How much?
Hazem: Yes. The gross amount was more than RM2 million.
Shafee: It was RM2.725 million. Doesn’t it strike you as comedy that for all the criminal things you were asked to do, you were rewarded with RM2.725 million?
Hazem: Yes.
Najib, 67, is being tried on four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion involving 1MDB funds, and on 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.
Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman, 47, testified that although the idea of 1MDB existing purely to service Umno might sound insane, he believed it to be so as this was conveyed to him by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in the presence of the late Azlin Alias, who was principal private secretary to Najib Razak.
“I will repeat what I have said before that in 1MDB, it was either you followed along (with the instructions) or not,” said Hazem under cross-examination by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, counsel for former prime minister Najib Razak who is on trial for alleged corruption relating to 1MDB funds.
Shafee: I’m asking you a fundamental question. At this point, another 1MDB former CEO, Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi never said that 1MDB existed for Umno. You are the first witness to say that. Why would Umno benefit from it? How can you believe that?
Hazem: Basically, I was just following the instructions. From the legal perspective, it doesn’t make any sense.
Shafee: Now you know that benefiting Umno like this is criminal?
Hazem: Yes.
Muhammad Shafee said the idea of Umno benefiting from 1MDB could lead to the imprisonment of a lot of people, including the 1MDB board of directors, to which Mohd Hazem agreed.
However, the witness said throughout his two-year tenure as the CEO of 1MDB, he never saw any evidence of benefits being delivered to Umno or Najib himself.
Hazem said he did raise concerns over the matter (1MDB to service Umno) to former 1MDB chairman Lodin Wok Kamaruddin.
Shafee further suggested that Hazem was not being honest when he claimed that he was too terrified of Najib that he tolerated the criminal ways in 1MDB, to which the witness answered it was his opinion then (when he was still the CEO of 1MDB).
Shafee: I’m putting it to you that if you were part of it, you could tolerate it.
Hazem: I disagree.
Shafee: Yet when you resigned, they awarded you with a bonus. How much?
Hazem: Yes. The gross amount was more than RM2 million.
Shafee: It was RM2.725 million. Doesn’t it strike you as comedy that for all the criminal things you were asked to do, you were rewarded with RM2.725 million?
Hazem: Yes.
Najib, 67, is being tried on four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion involving 1MDB funds, and on 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.
Najib fanboy here clutching at any straws that may appear to exonerate a drowning Najib.
ReplyDeleteThe evidence was found in Jibby’s house, 146 million in cash, which Jibby has claimed belongs to UMNO, UMNO has claimed it, and the money does not appear in UMNO’s official bank accounts. ROS, apa lagi mahu?
ReplyDeleteas a malay n muslim, the ex ceo shd insist that as long as the money is for malay n muslim, everythings fine, he can always do a hadi, thats how hadi become so well liked by the malay community.
ReplyDeleteAs a melayu, being muslin is a given.
Delete"Malay n Muslim" - a double emphasis encompasses yr farted ketuanan-ised zombieicism.
Don't say it's a slip of pen. It's yr subconscious thinking.
pas n umno call it a malay muslim govt, u dun tok kok as if u sangat pandai, u r not wakaka.
Delete"pas n umno" r zombies reincarnated!
DeleteSo why should I care.
Only a genuflecting doggie would consistently reflecting its masters theme.
This is no intelligence involved. It's common sense.
But can a katak understand such simple intricacies?
Say no more!
For the Majority Race and Religion Zombies, you just have to tell them it is done for the benefit of Ummah, it will be acceptable and even praised.
ReplyDeleteBossku will forever be a Folk Hero among the Race and Religion Zombies.