IN testy exchanges with Najib Razak’s lead lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, an ex-aide to the former prime minister revealed more about 1Malaysia Development Bhd in court this past week.

Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin testified that Najib had always backed wanted financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, even when former 1MDB chief executive Arul Kanda Kandasamy raised concerns about the Penang-born businessman’s credibility.

“There were enough occasions, throughout my time working with Najib, to establish that after every time I double-checked instructions from Jho Low with Najib, Jho Low had the (then) prime minister’s backing,” he told the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Low also had the trust of Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, and was known to have travelled with the family on trips to New York and London, he said.

On how he knew Rosmah was fond of Low, Amhari said during cross-examination: “I had the opportunity to speak with (Rosmah), and somehow, she raised his name, and I said, ‘Yes, I’ve met him’. And (Rosmah) said, ‘Yes, he is very obliging, isn’t he?’. I said, ‘Yes’.”

Najib is on trial on four counts of power abuse to enrich himself with RM2.3 billion from 1MDB, and 21 counts of money-laundering involving the same amount.

Witness met BSI banker in Singapore

Amhari said he followed Najib’s principal private secretary, Azlin Alias, and Low to meet a Singaporean banker, who would later be among the first to be convicted for offences linked to the state investor.

They met former BSI banker Yvonne Seah at Le Méridien in Singapore.

Amhari said he was brought along to the meeting to sign documents related to Aerospace Ltd, a company that he owned.

He told the court that he cannot exactly recall what documents he signed.

Seah was sentenced to two weeks’ jail on December 16, 2016 for failing to report suspicious transactions involving accounts linked to Low.

Amhari confirmed having received US$200,000 (RM835,100) from Low, saying it was a loan for a house purchase in Kota Damansara.

The former Bank Negara Malaysia officer also said he was not aware that he had to declare to the central bank the transaction from abroad into his Maybank account.

Witness denies protecting Jho Low

The 43-year-old denied he was protecting Low, who allegedly misrepresented himself as a royal adviser in 2008.

The financier had allegedly claimed to be an unofficial adviser of the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Amhari denied knowing whether Low had played a big part in forming the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which later became known as 1MDB.

He said he was not aware that Low had named U2 lead singer Bono in a proposed list of trustees for a TIA foundation.

Amhari also denied knowing that the proposed board of trustees included Jordan’s Queen Rania and Rosmah, and that the board was to be chaired by Sultan Mizan.

He maintained that he had been under the impression that TIA was Najib’s “baby”, and disagreed with the defence’s suggestion that the firm was, in fact, a brainchild of Sultan Mizan.

During re-examination by the prosecution, Amhari reiterated that he took orders from Najib, who was his boss, and not Low.

He testified that meetings between Najib and Low were never held at the Prime Minister’s Office.

After Low fled Malaysia in April 2015, Amhari said he communicated with the businessman via e-mail and text messaging.

He agreed with the prosecution’s suggestion that Najib, in 2015, lied when he said Low had no involvement in 1MDB.

In a written reply to the then Wangsa Maju MP, Dr Tan Kee Kwong, in March of that year, Najib said Low had never worked at 1MDB, and that all of the company’s decisions and transactions were made by the management and board of directors.

In his 1MDB trial, Najib faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment upon conviction. The 66-year-old is represented by a dozen lawyers.

Gopal Sri Ram, a former Federal Court justice, leads the prosecution, while Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah presides.

The trial resumes tomorrow. – September 22, 2019.