FORMER prime minister Najib Razak could have suffered a complete stroke due to his terrible history of stomach ulcers, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today. 

Explaining Najib’s health condition today, lead defence counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told presiding Judge Collins Lawrence that the Pekan MP was in a critical condition, even terming him “a walking time bomb”. 

He said Najib’s condition caused him to suffer massive amounts of blood loss, which required five-litres of blood transfusion. 

“My client has a history of ulcers, very bad ulcers,” Shafee told the court.  

“I think three months ago, he didn’t realise he was in a very critical stage where he lost a lot of blood without knowing the reason.”

“When checked, his hemoglobin level was very low.”

“He was a walking time bomb. He would have developed a complete stroke but they (doctors) managed to cease the situation and had to pump in five litres of blood,” the lead defence counsel added. 

Today, the Kuala Lumpur High Court decided to adjourn the Najib 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial for the rest of the week as the former prime minister is still warded at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).

Shafee said although the hospital has issued Najib a medical certificate valid for today and tomorrow, he was unsure when the Pekan MP would be discharged. 

Najib has been warded to HKL since Monday evening. 

Shafee further explained to the court that since Najib was prisoned, doctors have found several new ulcers in his abdominal area after his persistent complaints. 

“For that reason, he has to be tested to ensure that the blood pressure has got nothing to do with that (ulcer) but perhaps a mere confusion of medications,” he said. 

When asked by Judge Sequerah if ulcers could cause adverse effects, Shafee clarified that the ulcers could be one of two reasons for Najib’s high blood pressure. 

He said the other could be the change of medications. 

“It can. In view of the fact there is no evidence of actual bleeding, that is the only tenable reason that can be provided.”

“But they (doctors) are conducting tests to find out other reasons,” he explained. 

Najib is facing four charges of using his position as then prime minister to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount. 

He is already serving a 12-year jail term after failing in his final appeal at the apex court in the SRC International case. – September 14, 2022.