FORMER prime minister Najib Razak said he did not want to burden taxpayers when getting a RM3.3 million gift for the wife of a former Qatari prime minister in 2014, the high court heard today.

Najib said he used his own credit card and not public funds because of the expense of the gift, which was bought at jeweller De Grisogono in Italy on August 8, 2014. The gift was for Noor Abdulaziz Abdulla Turki Al-Subaie, the wife of Shaikh Hamad Jassim Jabr Al Thani, who was then Qatar’s prime minister.

During cross-examination, ad hoc deputy public prosecutor V. Sithambaram said gifts for heads of states are to come out of government coffers and that the prime minister is not expected to use his own salary.

Najib: It was a gift from the prime minister of Malaysia but I did not want to use public funds because it was a substantial amount. I used this card to buy this gift because the former prime minister of Qatar is a close friend of mine.

Sithambaram: Would it be correct to say that this was the most expensive gift you have bought for a head of state?

Najib: That would be correct. Although I have given some kings gifts, but in terms of a single purchase, this was the biggest.

The 66-year-old also said he believed it was more “convenient” for the purchase to be broken into 10 items for easier payment.

Sithambaram: Did your wife ever told you when she bought the items that she had difficulty in purchasing them because of the total price. Did she tell you that?

Najib: No, I believe it is normal practice with the credit card companies or with the shops.

Sithambaram: Sorry to ask you this. We have never spent this sort of money. You had this donation, we never did.

To another question on what was the gift for, Najib replied that the former Qatari prime minister was “a rich man” and that the gift was to show appreciation for the close diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Sithambaram: I am putting it to you that this was a personal expenditure and not for anything else.

Najib: I disagree.

In his witness statement in December, Najib said the gift was a gesture of thanks in response to gifts from the Qatari prime minister and his wife during a previous official visit to Malaysia, and in appreciation to the close ties between the two countries.

Najib pressed on why he kept Nik Faisal as mandate holder

Sithambaram later questioned Najib on why Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil was kept as the mandate holder after he was removed as SRC International CEO in August 2014 due to alleged integrity issues.

Sithambaram: Are you telling the court that a man of no integrity in SRC International matters would be of integrity in managing your accounts? Are you splitting him?

Najib: No. I expected that if something untoward happens, the bank would inform me.

Sithambaram: I am putting it to you that Nik Faisal was acting in your interest, rather than SRC International’s interest, when he was forced to transfer RM42 million from Gandingan Mentari and Ihsan Perdana to your account. Because he is the signatory and because he is your mandate holder.

Najib: But I never authorised him and I never discussed with him, the account statements are not with me and there’s no evidence to suggest that. I was not aware what happened and I am not so stupid as to do something like this.

Sithambaram: I’ve been practising law for 42 years and I can tell you many intelligent people have been made to come to court. I put it to you that you willfully appointed Nik Faisal to accomplish this transfer of money into your account.

Najib: I totally disagree because there is no evidence to show that.

The trial before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, continues. – January 22, 2020.