News by Emir Zainul

“My only interest in the SRC is that it is in the national interest,” he told the High Court here today, as he took the witness stand to make a sworn statement after Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ruled a prima facie case was established by the prosecution in the trial for alleged misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC.

Testifying in his defence, Najib said there were instances where he wrote ‘bersetuju” (agree) but the officers did not support his decision.

In his opening speech outlining the defence case today, Shafee said his team will also prove that the surrounding circumstances has led Najib to believe that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, was a close associate to the royal family of Saudi Arabia.

Najib said this on his first day of giving testimony in his SRC trial at the High Court.

"I understand that Jho Low was chosen as the advisor to the chairman of TIA board of advisors, who was Sultan Mizan himself," he said.

This means that Najib is liable to be cross-examined by the prosecution -- led by Attorney General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas -- that comprise appointed prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram and other deputy public prosecutors.

Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali moved that the prosecution has successfully established a prima facie case against Najib, and now Najib may take the stand.

The recording revealed that Ali had called for the meeting to protect the reputation of Najib.

The recording of the meeting was played again in the High Court for Ambrin as prosecution witness today. It revealed that former chief secretary Tan Sri Ali Hamsa told the then AG to manage his diligent "younger officers", to take care of national interest and leadership.

Ambrin: As the coordinator, she was supposed to take down notes of the discussion, because the meeting was to discuss very important issues relating to our report. And as coordinator there is a standing instruction that she has to follow at all the meetings.