A BANK manager told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that Shahrir Abdul Samad did not know from where former prime minister Najib Razak acquired the RM1 million that was given to the former Felda chairman. 

Jalan Raja Chulan Ambank (M) Bhd branch manager, R. Uma Devi, 43, who confirmed the matter, said she doesn’t know the source of the money despite her 12 years of banking experience. 

She said this when cross-examined by Shahrir’s counsel Dzulkifli Ahmad at the trial of Shahrir, who is charged with failing to declare RM1 million received from Najib to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

Dzulkifli: As an experienced bank officer, if the bank cheque (RM1 million) has been cleared, it means there is no issue with the source of the money. 

Uma Devi: Yes, that at time, there was none (issue).

Dzulkifli: Cik Uma, if you can confirm the cheque has no problem, then what more with Tan Sri Shahrir to also assume the cheque had no problem when receiving and depositing (money) into his account?

Uma Devi: Yes. 

Uma Devi agreed with Dzulkifli that the IRB did not record her conversation since the case was related to money laundering, in which Shahrir allegedly did not report his real income to the IRB, and not over corruption. 

The witness said that only the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had recorded her statement. 

Shahrir, 72, is accused being involved in money laundering by not reporting the actual income in the income tax form contrary to Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, which is not declaring the income received from Najib amounting to RM1 million through a cheque which was banked into his bank account. 

He was charged with committing the act at IRB Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim in Kuala Lumpur on April 25, 2014, in accordance with Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of RM5 million, or both, if convicted. 

The trial before judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin continues tomorrow. – Bernama, September 5, 2022.