KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here yesterday was informed that the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) on Feb 27, 2009, has an issued capital of RM1 billion.
SSM Assistant Registrar Muhamad Akmaludin Abdullah, 35, said the private company with the company registration number 848230-V had also appointed several individuals including Tan Sri Ismee Ismail and Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi as its directors.
The third prosecution witness said this during the examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam on the first day of the trial of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and 1MDB former chief executive officer (CEO) Arul Kanda Kandasamy over the alleged tampering of the 1MDB final audit report.
1MDB, which was first established as Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) Berhad was renamed to 1MDB on Sept 25, 2009, and Arul Kanda was appointed CEO on Jan 1, 2015.
When referring to the written element of share for TIA, the witness said one million shares were issued and owned by Terengganu Menteri Besar Incorporated.
Earlier, the first prosecution witness, Division Secretary (Constitution and Parliament Affairs) of the Cabinet, Constitution and Inter-government Relations Division, Prime Minister’s Department, Daman Huri Nor, 55, confirmed that the positions held by Najib include the finance minister, defence minister, youth and sports minister, education minister and deputy prime minister from 2006 to 2018.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Department, Finance Department accountant Natasha Rahimah Haryati Mohamad, 47, who is the second prosecution witness, testified on Najib’s annual income statements and payslips from January 2006 to May 2018.
She said Najib had received a monthly gross salary of RM58,605.15 from April 2009 to May 2018 through his Affin Bank account, besides a special payment of RM1 million after he retired as the prime minister, as stipulated under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980.
Former Federal Court Judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram led the prosecution team which comprises deputy public prosecutors Datuk Nik Suhaimi Nik Sulaiman, Mohammad Al-Saifi Hashim, Ahmad Akram Gharib, Rozaliana Zakaria, Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam, Nadia Zulkefli, Hazmida Harris Lee, Tan Song Yan, Fatimah Hannah Abd Wahab, Munira Syahirah Mohamad Kamal, Nur Syakirin Yaccob and Wafa Zainal Abidin.
Najib is represented by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, Syahirah Hanapiah, while Arul Kanda, 43, is represented by counsels Datuk N Sivananthan, Jasmine Cheong and Dhanyaa Shreeya Sukumar.
On Dec 12, 2018, Najib was charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was tabled to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to avoid any action against him.
He was charged, in his capacity as a public officer, which was as the Prime Minister, with using the position to obtain gratification for himself, which was to evade disciplinary, civil or criminal action against him in connection with 1MDB, by ordering alterations to the 1MDB final audit report before it was finalised and tabled to the PAC, where he directly had interest in.
Najib was accused of committing the offence at the Prime Minister’s Department Complex, Federal Government’s Administrative Centre, the Federal Territory of Putrajaya between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.
The charge is framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 which carries a maximum jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib in making amendments to the report to protect Najib from being subjected to disciplinary, civil or criminal action in connection with 1MDB, at the same place and time and in accordance with Section 28 (1) (c) of the MACC Act 2009 read with Section 23 (1) & 24 (1) of the same act which provides for similar punishment, if found guilty.
The trial before Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues today. — Bernama