A PROSECUTION witness in Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) audit report tampering trial said the version given to her was not a draft, but the actual report meant to be tabled to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Madinah Mohamad said this when asked by Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, whether there were two versions of the report or merely “draft” and “final” copies.

The 66-year-old was the auditor-general from February 20, 2017, to February 22, 2019.

Shafee: There is the final report, but there was another one that became a draft, which is the one that was given to you in confidence (by National Audit Department deputy director Nor Salwani Muhammad).

Madinah: The one given to me was not the draft, but the report meant to be tabled to PAC two days later.

Madinah previously testified that Nor Salwani told her the 1MDB audit report had been printed twice – once in early 2016 and again on March 2 the same year.

“The report printed in early 2016 is the one to be presented to PAC on February 24.

“However, the content of this report was changed by dropping some paragraphs following a meeting chaired by then chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa.”

Shafee said the witness may have gotten the wrong concept when she deemed the earlier report as the first version.

Shafee: I’m suggesting to you that when corrections are made on a printed copy with watermarks and then the corrected version is printed again for submission… the earlier one is deemed to be a draft.

Madinah: It could be so.

Najib, 68, is charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was tabled to PAC to avoid any action being taken against him.

He allegedly committed the offence at the Prime Minister’s Department Complex in Putrajaya between February 22 and 26, 2016.

He is charged under section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The trial continues tomorrow. – Bernama, March 30, 2022.