SINGAPORE (Oct 25): Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is back in court again for 1MDB-linked charges. This time however, he will be charged alongside former treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah.
See: Najib, Serigar to be charged in relation to 1MDB debt payments to IPIC
Earlier today, the duo was jointly slapped with six counts of criminal breach of trust for misappropriating RM6.64 billion ($2.2 billion) worth of government funds. They pleaded not guilty to all six charges.
The court has set bail at RM1 million each, with two sureties. They were also required to surrender their passports and refrained from interfering with witnesses.
The six charges are:
1. Dec 21, 2016: Najib in his capacity as finance minister and Irwan as treasury secretary-general, have committed criminal breach of trust involving RM1.2 billion of government funds.
2. Dec 21, 2016: The duo was charged for committing criminal breach of trust involving RM655 million of government funds. According to sources that told Malaysiakini, these were funds from the Suria Strategic Energy Resources (SSER) pipeline projects.
3. Aug 3, 2017: The duo was charged for committing criminal breach of trust involving RM220 million of funds intended for Kuala Lumpur International Airport Bhd (KLIAB) allocated under Budget 2017 for operating expenses.
4. Aug 10, 2017: Najib and Irwan were accused of committing criminal breach of trust involving RM1.3 billion of government subsidy and cash aid funds allocated under Budget 2017. Malaysiakini’s sources say that this was intended for 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M).
5. Aug 23, 2017: Najib and Irwan were accused of committing criminal breach of trust involving RMB 1.95 billion ($387 million) of government funds.
6. Dec 18, 2017: Najib and Irwan were accused of committing criminal breach of trust involving RM2 billion in government funds.
These funds were allegedly transferred to embattled state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and used to repay its debts to Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) in April 2017.
Najib's lead attorney, Mohammad Shafee Abdullah said that this decision was made "to save the country", confirming that his client had indeed used part of the monies to repay 1MDB debt, according to theedgemarkets.com.
"The first two charges [totalling RM1.855 billion] are wholly unfounded because the decision undertaken by him and Dr Mohd Irwan was for the good of the nation and the good of the public.
"The decision was made for the good of the public, to prevent a trigger of default that would be detrimental on the Malaysian economy," he said.
Shafee added that monies involved in four of the charges — totalling RM4.781 billion — were "initially allocated for a purpose, but on a priority [was] being revised in the face of urgency and dire state on the purposes on the settlement [between 1MDB and] IPIC".
"It was made in the full interest of the public," said Shafee. "There is no personal benefit. Not a cent was benefitted by the client (Najib Razak)," he added.
Meanwhile, Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation's (MEIO) former director general Hasanah Abdul Hamid, claims trial to one count of criminal breach of trust involving US$12.1 million ($16.7 million) belonging to the government.
The former spy chief allegedly committed the offence between April 30, 2018 and May 9, 2018.
Her bail was set at RM500,000 in two sureties and surrender her passport. Case mention has been set for Nov 29.
