Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister had claimed to the Cabinet in 2010 that the late Saudi crown prince had donated to 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s charity arm Yayasan 1Malaysia Development Berhad (Yayasan 1MDB), a former senior government official who minuted Cabinet meetings told the High Court today.
Former Cabinet deputy chief secretary Tan Sri Mazidah Abdul Majid, 72, said Najib had also asked the Cabinet not to publicise the purported donation.
Mazidah was testifying as the 11th prosecution witness in Najib’s power abuse and money laundering trial involving more than RM2 billion of 1MDB funds.
Mazidah today went through and verified Cabinet meeting minutes from as early as April 2009 on matters such as 1MDB’s predecessor Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) before it was taken over by the federal government and turned into a state investment firm, as well as the September 8, 2010, Cabinet meeting minutes she prepared.
For the September 8, 2010, Cabinet meeting held at the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya and chaired by Najib as the prime minister, Mazidah was present.
Mazidah said a special message by the prime minister titled “Sumbangan Dana Kepada Yayasan 1Malaysia Development Berhad” or donation to Yayasan 1MDB was presented at the meeting, with the Cabinet taking note of the prime minister’s explanation that he was currently carrying out formal and informal engagement with certain quarters in Middle East nations who had given positive response towards many matters involving Malaysian interests.
Mazidah recorded the following from the September 2010 meeting: “Yang Amat Berhormat (prime minister) then notified and gave the following views: that the Saudi Arabia crown prince Sultan Abdul Aziz Al-Saud had notified Yang Amat Berhormat that he through his charity foundation agreed to donate to Yayasan 1Malaysia Development Berhad. The first donation has already been received and he promised to channel subsequent donations after this. Prince Sultan Abdul Aziz Al-Saud has asked for this donation not to be announced.”
Mazidah further quoted Najib as telling the Cabinet that more needy people could be helped and more corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and projects could be done through Yayasan 1MDB with that “donation”, and that Najib had said Cabinet ministers could also give their proposals on CSR projects to be carried out in October 2010.
Mazidah said Najib had also told his Cabinet that the government has to be more “creative” in finding government sources and allocations outside of the existing framework of government revenue to provide greater flexibility for the government to help the public, and that this was why Yayasan 1MDB was set up to support the government’s existing sources — especially to expand social programmes and projects.
Mazidah said the Cabinet agreed with Najib’s views on the alleged Saudi “donation” and the need for the Malaysian government to seek more funds as well as Yayasan 1MDB’s role, and that the Cabinet agreed “for the Saudi Arab government’s donation to not be announced.”
Najib’s 1MDB trial before High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah resumes tomorrow, where Mazidah is expected to be cross-examined by Najib’s lawyers. – MMO
Earlier reports:
Feb 9, Najib’s 1MDB trial: Najib received RM2.973b from 1MDB
Feb 9, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Jho Low known as “PMO” in 1MDB board meetings was “the man”
Feb 8, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Ex-CEO says in 1MDB, you either follow instructions or quit
Jan 6, Najib’s 1MDB trial: Day 52
Jan 5, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 51
Sept 17, 2020, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 50
Sept 15, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 49
Sept 14, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 48
Sept 3, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 47
Sept 2, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 46
Sept 1, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 45
Aug 17, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 44
Aug 5, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 43
Aug 4, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 42
Aug 3, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 41
Jul 17, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Set to Last Until at Least June 2021
Jul 16, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 39
Jul 15, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 38
Jul 1, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 37
Jun 30, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 36
May 21, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 35
May 21, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 34
May 19, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 33
Nov 11, 2019, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 32
Nov 7, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 31
Nov 6, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 30
Nov 5, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 30
Nov 4, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 28
Nov 4, 1MDB Trial: Judge Reprimands Najib After Tg Piai Trip
Oct 31, Najib Calls in Sick with Swollen Eyes, 1MDB Trial Postponed Yet Again
Oct 30, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 27
Oct 29, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 26
Oct 24, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 25
Oct 24, Najib Asks Prosecution to Hand Over Justo’s Information Given to MACC
Oct 21, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 24
Oct 17, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 23
Oct 17, Jho Low Changed 1MDB Constitution to Give Najib Absolute Power
Oct 16, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 22
Oct 14, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 21
Oct 10, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 20
Oct 9, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 19
Oct 8, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 18
Oct 7, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 17
Oct 7, Some Umno People Envious of Jho Low-Najib Ties, Court Told
Oct 1, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 16
Oct 1, Arul Kanda Told Ex-1MDB CEO to Leave Country to Avoid PAC Meeting
Oct 1, Ex-1MDB CEO Paid RM99K Monthly, RM1.5M Bonus
Oct 1, Jho Low Helped Plan Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Trip to Sway Voters for GE13
Sept 30, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 15
Sept 30, Witness: Najib Used 1MDB to Raise Funds for GE13
Sept 26, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 14
Sept 26, Jho Low, Tim Leissner Played “Matchmaker” for Najib to Meet Goldman Sachs
Sept 26, US$9M Transferred from Jho Low’s Good Star to Riza Aziz’s Red Granite Pictures
Sept 26, Jho Low, Najib Faked Meeting Minutes to Move US$750M from 1MDB to PSI
Sept 26, Najib Agreed to 1MDB Borrowing RM3B from SOCSO to Lend to PetroSaudi
Sept 25, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 13
Sept 24, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 12
Sept 23, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 11
Sept 19, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day 10
Sept 18, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day Nine
Sept 18, Najib’s Ex-Aide Led MACC to Raid on Jho Low’s Apartment
Sept 18, Najib’s 1MDB Trial Halted Briefly for Najib to See Eye Specialist
Sept 17, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day Eight
Sept 17, Witness Identifies Riza Aziz, Arul Kanda and Five Others as Key Players in 1MDB Saga
Sept 17, Bono, Queen of Jordan, Rosmah Floated as Trustees for TIA
Sept 17, Witness Says 1MDB Najib’s Baby, Defence Claims It Was Terengganu Sultan’s Idea
Sept 11, Najib’s Eye Infection Halts 1MDB Trial
Sept 10, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day Six
Sept 10, Rosmah Fond of Jho Low
Sept 10, Najib’s Ex-Aide: Jho Low Provided Scripted Responses to Deny His Involvement in 1MDB
Sept 10, Istana Negara Questioned Jho Low’s Role in 1MDB Predecessor TIA
Sept 5, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day Five
Sept 5, 1MDB Trial: Judge Raps Shafee over Najib’s Tardiness
Sept 5, 1MDB Trial: Najib’s Ex-Aide Took US$200K Loan from Jho Low to Buy Property
Sept 5, 1MDB Trial: Najib’s Ex-Aide Accused of Lying
Sept 4, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day Four
Sept 4, Najib’s Ex-Aide: Mudabala CEO Was Promised All Sorts of Things
Sept 4, Najib’s Ex-Aide, Jho Low on “Secret China Mission” to Bail Out 1MDB
Sept 4, Jho Low Ordered Najib’s Ex-Aides to Open Overseas Bank Accounts
Sept 3, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day Three
Sept 3, Najib’s Ex-Aide: Jho Low Drew Out Wealth Fund Concept on Kitchen Whiteboard
Sept 3, Jho Low Gave Possibly Forged Letters from Saudi Arabia to Stop 1MDB Probe
Sept 3, Only Najib and Jho Low Knew “Full Picture” of 1MDB Plan
Sept 3, Jho Low in Najib’s Inner Circle
Aug 29, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day Two
Aug 28, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Day One
Aug 28, Shafee: Prove Najib Knew Arab Donation Letter Faked, Jho Low Is Najib’s Alter Ego
Aug 28, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Shafee Again Questions Sri Ram’s Appointment
Aug 28, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Gopal Sri Ram’s Full Opening Statement
Aug 28, Najib’s 1MDB Trial: Prosecution to Show Saudi Donations a Sham
Aug 28, Najib’s 1 MDB Trial: Prosecution to Prove Jho Low Was Najib’s Alter Ego
Aug 28, Najib’s 1MDB Trial Begins