SRC case among the clearest money trails.
Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has called on the prosecution to explain the delay that led to Datuk Seri Najib Razak being granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in his money laundering case involving RM27 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.
The Pandan MP urged the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to confirm whether it will refile the charges without further delay and ensure all supporting documents are prepared promptly so the case can proceed in court.
“In 2019, Najib was charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 for allegedly receiving RM27 million in illicit funds related to SRC,” Rafizi said in a statement on Friday (June 20).
“However, despite being charged since 2019, the trial has yet to begin as the prosecution has not completed the necessary documents for court proceedings. I urge the prosecution to confirm that the AGC will refile the charges as soon as possible and prepare the necessary documents accordingly, so that the case can proceed without further delay.”
Rafizi said he respected Najib’s right to apply for a DNAA in view of the lengthy delay and also respected the High Court’s decision in granting the application. However, he questioned the prosecution’s failure to complete the documentation over the past five years.
“This is especially puzzling considering that the case relates to SRC, for which Najib is already serving a prison sentence following a conviction in a related trial,” he said.
“From my experience studying and exposing the 1MDB and SRC scandals, the SRC case has among the clearest money trails.”
He warned that many Malaysians do not want to see the case fall apart due to the government’s failure to act, especially given that a guilty verdict had already been secured in a related case.
“As an MP, I will continue to monitor the progress of this case closely to ensure it remains in the public eye,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted Najib a DNAA in his final criminal case involving SRC International funds. The trial had been stalled since 2019.
High Court Judge K. Muniandy said the prolonged delay had denied the accused a timely resolution, and noted that the case had not moved forward since the charges were filed in 2019 for an offence allegedly committed in 2014.
Muniandy ruled that a DNAA was appropriate given the circumstances, and clarified that the prosecution could refile the charges once ready.
Najib, 72, was charged on 3 February 2019 with three counts of receiving RM27 million in proceeds from unlawful activities via three AmPrivate Banking accounts under his name at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, AmBank Group Building, Jalan Raja Chulan, on 8 July 2014.
The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM5 million, or both.
Najib is currently serving a reduced six-year jail sentence at Kajang Prison after his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC funds was upheld in August 2022.
Following the DNAA ruling, Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said his client was elated—even though he must return to prison—because he can now focus solely on the ongoing 1MDB trial. Final arguments in that case are scheduled to take place over nine days in October.
Najib was previously acquitted over the removal of key information from the auditor-general’s 2016 report on 1MDB, and granted a DNAA in his RM6.6 billion International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) criminal breach of trust case.