THE Kuala Lumpur High Court will decide on January 19 whether to admit Singaporean court documents on BSI banker Yeo Jiawei as evidence for a US$3.66 billion (RM14.93 billion) suit against Prime Minister Najib Razak and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Ex-senator Ezam Mohd Noor is applying for an extension to obtain further affidavit evidence from a Singaporean court that convicted Yeo of misappropriating funds from 1MDB.

Yeo, a Singaporean, was found guilty on July 14 for money laundering and cheating of sums amounting to billions of dollars misappropriated from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. 

He was sentenced to 54 months in jail and is reported to be an associate of Jho Low, as Low Taek Jho is popularly known. 

Ezam hopes the documents will bolster his case against Najib, who has moved to strike out against the multi-billion ringgit suit filed on April 14. 

“(The Singaporean judgment) is to strengthen our case. Because in (their attempt at) striking out (our bid) the (defendants’) lawyers are saying that our efforts are scandalous,” Ezam told reporters today at the Kuala Lumpur High Court after Justice Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad fixed the decision date.

“That’s why we have to come out with something very substantial. And the further affidavit (evidence) is the judgement from the Singapore court, which is very much related to our 1MDB case and the name of Jho Low was mentioned a few times. 

“He’s the person who is directly involved in this case and is related to our application,” he said.  

Ezam is represented by lead counsel and former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram as well as Farez Jinnah.

Najib, as first defendant in Ezam’s suit, filed the application to dismiss it on July 12, on the grounds that the plaintiff had no locus standi to bring the civil action. 

Also named as defendants are 13 former 1MDB directors who moved separately to quash Ezam’s suit in August. 

The suit filed by Ezam, who is Hisbah Centre for Reform chairman, pertained to losses incurred by 1MDB totalling US$3.657 billion.

In his statement of claim, Ezam contended that a US$6.5 billion loan that 1MDB secured with the help of Goldman Sachs International Ltd should have been channelled to the national sovereign wealth fund’s account.

Ezam claimed, the defendants had negligently allowed US$3.657 billion of the amount to go to unauthorised parties.

He wants the defendants to bear the losses and reimburse 1MDB the money with interest, cost and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Through multiple civil suits, the US Department of Justice has moved to seized billions in assets in connection with Penang businessman Jho Low.

US authorities have said that Jho Low was a key figure in an elaborate and massive scheme to siphon 1MDB funds. 

The Wall Street Journal reported in June that the department plans to initiate criminal proceedings against Jho Low.

Najib chaired the advisory board of 1MDB. He has consistently denied wrongdoing. – December 21, 2017.