FORMER 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) chief Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman today admitted in court his role in helping to “run the company to the ground” during his tenure.

Hazem conceded during questioning by the defence that he was “to a certain extent” responsible for getting the state-owned investment fund into financial difficulties, in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

But Hazem disagreed that his “no questions asked” approach to signing documents had enabled the misappropriation of 1MDB funds.

Th 10th witness for the prosecution acknowledged this under cross-examination by defence counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed.

Wan Aizuddin: As you were the CEO from 2013 to 2015, you basically agree you ran the company to the ground? By getting the company into all these unnecessary liabilities?

Hazem: Okay, to a certain extent, yes.

Wan Aizuddin: With the benefit of the documents shown to you, can you admit that funds were misappropriated from 1MDB?

Hazem: Yes.

Wan Aizuddin: Would you agree that with your attitude, throughout your tenure as CEO and COO, of no-questions asked and just signing on the signing pages has enabled all this funds to be misappropriated from 1MDB?

Hazem: No, disagree.”

Hazem was testifying in the trial of former prime minister Najib Razak on 25 charges of power abuse and laundering 1MDB money amounting to RM2.28 billion which was deposited into the accused’s AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

Hazem joined 1MDB as chief operating officer in August 2012 and later became the CEO in March 2013, a position he held until January 2015.

Najib faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Earlier, another defence lawyer, Mardhiyah Mohamed Sirajkumar, called Hazem a liar over his replies during cross-examination.

“Based on all these answers you gave to me, you’re a liar, I put,” she said.

She told Hazem that he conveniently remembers pertinent facts whenever Najib was implicated in the crime but forgets when he himself was directly involved.

She suggested that Hazem lied in court to save himself from any civil action taken against him.

Hazem disagreed with all of the accusations.

Mardhiyah had grilled Hazem that he was the “mirror image” of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, who is also known as Jho Low.

She contended that Hazem followed Low’s instructions and provided talking points when in meetings with audit firm KPMG to “lie”, whereas Najib acted independently.

Mardhiyah: But based on your witness statement, you have admitted that Jho Low had indirectly asked you to lie to KPMG.

Hazem: Indirectly, yes.

Mardhiyah: What do you mean by indirectly?

Hazem: It’s not lying, it’s just not giving KPMG sufficient documents for them to complete their audit.

Before proceedings ended today, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustafa P. Kunyalam said that lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram would continue the re-examination of Hazem on Monday.

Mustafa also told high court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that former 1MDB chief financial officer Azmi Tahir would be present as the next witness when trial resumes tomorrow. – November 10, 2021.