Donation letter allegedly received by Najib made no reference to Saudi King Abdullah

PUTRAJAYA - The High Court was informed today that a letter allegedly received by Datuk Seri Najib Razak, concerning a donation from the late Saudi King Abdullah, made no reference to the king’s name at all.

Instead, the letterhead bore the name of an individual purportedly linked to the Saudi royal family.

Testifying as the first defence witness in his corruption trial of allegedly misappropriating RM2.3 billion in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds, Najib confirmed the matter during cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar.

Najib also agreed with Kamal Baharin's assertion that the letter did not mention any meeting between him and King Abdullah, who was claimed to be the donor.

The former prime minister had previously testified that the donations received in his AmIslamic bank account followed a personal meeting with King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia in 2010. However, the donation letterhead referenced Saud Abdulaziz bin Majid Al Saud.

Kamal Baharin: During your private meeting with King Abdullah, was Saud Abdulaziz present?

Najib: He was not present.

Kamal Baharin: I put it to you that Saud Abdulaziz was unaware of this meeting.

Najib: I disagree.

In previous proceedings, Najib claimed that during the same meeting, King Abdullah had promised him financial support.

He further alleged that four donation letters from Saudi Arabia, dated between Feb 1, 2011, and June 1, 2014, pledged donations of USD100 million, USD375 million, USD800 million, and GBP50 million, respectively.

All four letters were addressed to Najib's residence at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur.

Kamal Baharin then highlighted a discrepancy in Najib’s witness statements, noting that his first statement described the funds received as "financial assistance", while the second statement referred to them as "political donations".

Najib disagreed with the suggestion of inconsistency, asserting that both terms carried a similar meaning.

Kamal Baharin: In your first witness statement, you stated, "I was informed it was financial assistance". Why did you say "informed"? I suggest this was merely your interpretation and not something King Abdullah explicitly conveyed during your private meeting with him.

Najib: I disagree.

On Oct 30 last year, Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had successfully established a prima facie case against him.

Najib faces 25 charges, including four counts of abusing his position to obtain RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds as bribes and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial resumes tomorrow. - BERNAMA