NAJIB CLARIFIES TERMINATION OF ABDUL GANI PATAIL'S SERVICE

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 21 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told the High Court here today that the termination of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail's service as Attorney-General in 2015 had nothing to do with the investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Instead, the former Prime Minister,  who is testifying as the first defence witness over allegations of misappropriation of RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds, said the termination of Abdul Gani’s service was due to several problems including his health condition.

Cross-examined by Deputy Public Prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar, Najib denied that Abdul Gani's service was terminated because he had lost faith in him.

Najib explained that he had initially wanted to recommend Abdul Gani to be appointed as a Federal Court Judge but the former attorney general did not go through the prescribed process.

"If I don't trust him, I would not propose him as a judge," he added.

When asked whether he was aware of the draft charges against him that were widely discussed in 2015 and whether those charges contributed to the termination of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail's tenure as Attorney General, Najib disagreed.

Najib said he did not recall the specifics and had only heard rumours about the draft charges.

He also denied issuing instructions to change the leadership of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), including the removal of its Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed in the same year amidst allegations that the leadership change was linked to the commission’s investigation into 1MDB.

Kamal Baharin: I put it to you, Datuk Seri, that the 1MDB investigation was the reason both individuals were terminated and transferred.

Najib: I do not agree.

Kamal Baharin: Tan Sri Abdul Gani and Tan Sri Abu Kassim were removed when there were restrictions on the role of the 1MDB Special Task Force?

Najib: I do not agree.

The former prime minister also said that the establishment of the task force was in principle invalid as it was illegal and not under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General.

"If the Attorney General establishes a special task force today, it would still be illegal. There is no law or provision about it," he added.

On Oct 30 last year, Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.

Najib, 71, faces 25 charges, including four charges of using his position to obtain RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds as bribes and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The hearing continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA