DATUK Seri Najib Abdul Razak has requested the prosecution in his 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial to take action against the Man on the Run documentary shown on Netflix streaming service on grounds that it is extremely sub-judice and contemptuous to his ongoing case.
Najib’s defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah that the one-hour-and-38-minute documentary was very subjudicial to his client and the prosecution was bound by the responsibility to take immediate action.
Man on the Run is a documentary directed, written and produced by Cassius Michael Kim which revolves around the 1MDB scandal. It was released in Malaysia on Oct 19 last year and premiered on Netflix last Friday (Jan 5). It also features Najib's interview in which he denied involvement in the scandal, for almost 10 minutes.
“The voiceover in the documentary was made in concentric circles of knowledge, with fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in the middle. It said Jho Low stole the money, and politicians aided and abetted. When such statements are made, only one politician will come to people's minds.
“On a more serious note, former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas also took part in the interview and he made his conclusion (regarding Najib and Jho Low) outside of the court,” said Muhammad Shafee.
The lawyer also criticised the statements made by many of the interviewees in the documentary like Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown and former Ambassador of the United States of America to Malaysia John Malott.
“Can I invite Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib to watch the documentary and take it to the Malaysian Communications And Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Home Ministry for it to be pulled off because all of these (interviews) in the documentary are completely sub-judice?
“We are also mulling to take action against Thomas and Rewcastle-Brown for their alleged statements (in the documentary),” he said.
In response to this, Ahmad Akram said he just learned about the documentary recently and has not seen it yet.
“I will have to watch it first and see whether I should report it to the AG and get further instruction from him. My learned friend also needed to write a letter to the MCMC and Home Ministry regarding this issue,” he said.
Muhammad Shafee then replied that he would write to the relevant authorities as soon as possible.
Justice Sequerah took note of the complaints.
The trial continues with the 49th prosecution witness, MACC Senior Superintendent Nur Aida Arifin reading her witness statement.
Najib, 70, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion belonging to 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount. - Bernama, January 8, 2023
