FORMER 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) adviser Mohd Sidek Hassan told the High Court this morning that the Finance Ministry-owned company had never sat for a single meeting throughout the years he served as a board member.

The 19th prosecution witness in Najib Razak’s trial over the misappropriation of more than RM2 billion of 1MDB funds also told the court that for five years he never received an invitation to attend any annual meetings.

Sidek was chief secretary to the government from September 2006 to June 2012 and was appointed by then prime minister Najib Razak as a member in the board of advisers in 2010.

“I received a letter on my appointment as a board member on August 30, 2010. This was a letter from the prime minister (Najib) stating that the appointment was with immediate effect and I was welcome to attend the annual meeting, which would be chaired by the prime minister himself,” said Sidek who read from a witness statement.

“After my appointment, I never attended nor was I invited to attend any annual meeting or 1MDB-related discussions.

“I had never asked the prime minister or 1MDB to be appointed to the role.”

Najib is standing trial for corruption over the misappropriation of RM2.28 billion in 1MDB funds.

He faces 25 charges, four for abuse of power and 21 for money laundering, for offences allegedly committed between 2011 and 2013.

Sidek also told the court that apart from not being invited to attend any 1MDB related discussions, he had never been briefed by 1MDB management on anything about the company’s operations.

He, however, said despite not doing anything as an adviser, he received a monthly salary of RM30,000.

“During my time in 1MDB, I was paid RM30,000 a month as an ‘advisory fee’ and the letter was signed by Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmy in 2010.

“During Najib’s time as prime minister, he had asked me about my salary as the chief secretary and he said it was too low, therefore I assumed my appointment as one of the board of advisers was to add to my salary as the KSN (national chief secretary),” he told the court.

Sidek received the fee of RM30,000 every month from July 2010 to December 2012.

The amount was then reduced to RM10,000 per month from January 2013 to June 2015.

He added that he had declared the payments to the Inland Revenue Board.

On alleged trouble in 1MDB, Sidek said he only knew about it through the newspapers, including reports on the investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision.

“I was never briefed on the probe into 1MDB. Najib did not tell me anything on issues relating to the company although he was one of the advisers.”

“To my understanding, 1MDB was formed to be a political fund for Barisan Nasional,” he added.

Sidek is expected to be called again tomorrow to be cross examined by defence lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. The case is being heard before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah. – June 7, 2022.