A BANK manager told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that there was a RM2.83 billion settlement between Ambank and the government in relation to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Jalan Raja Chulan Ambank (M) Bhd branch manager R. Uma Devi said she was unsure if it was related to jailed former prime minister Najib Razak.  

“I heard about it (settlement), but I’m not sure of the details,” she told lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed during cross examination. 

It was reported last year that AMMB Holdings Bhd had agreed to pay the government RM2.83 billion to settle all outstanding claims and actions in relation to its involvement in 1MDB. 

The Finance Ministry said the settlement, which has global coverage, is part of the government’s efforts to recover from various parties’ funds and assets directly or indirectly linked to the investment fund. 

Ambank Group will have to pay the settlement in addition to a RM53.7 million penalty imposed by Bank Negara Malaysia.  

Wan Aizuddin asked Uma if she had known if the settlement involved Najib, and if she knew about the entire settlement between Ambank and the government. 

Uma acknowledged there was such a settlement but did not know many details. 

“We were just told that the bank’s settlement is with regard to not being implicated in any of the 1MDB matter. That’s all I know. I didn’t go into details.”

Wan Aizuddin then asked if the settlement was purely in relation to 1MDB and nothing to do with Najib’s accounts. 

To this, Uma said she was not really sure. 

Yesterday, Uma said Najib had received RM2.08 billion and RM90 million into his Ambank accounts in 2012 and 2013. – September 27, 2022.