KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah will file an application to the court seeking permission to interview former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa, who is currently in police custody.
Shafee said interviewing Ng was a crucial first step in preparing Najib's defence in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.
The application, he said would be filed today adding that if the judge required it in writing, the defence team would comply.
"Why do I want to interview Roger Ng? Because I do not want to summon him blindly.
"I need to interview him first and do my work.
"We all know that Roger Ng, while in the United States, through his counsel, expressed regret and guilt when significant evidence clearly favoured Najib," he said during a press conference, today.
He said evidence favouring Najib showed that the former prime minister was not involved in the 1MDB scandal.
He added that evidence also indicated that the acts were committed by other people, not Najib.
When asked about his confidence in securing the interview with Ng, Shafee said it depended on the judge's decision.
He said if the defence team was prevented from conducting the interview, it would clearly indicate that there were other motives.
"If they stop me from conducting the interview, it is very clear what they are doing.
"The reason is that Roger Ng is currently in police custody in the country," he said.