THE High Court was told that the Saudi Arabian royal family intended to contribute funds through Datuk Seri Najib Razak's personal account to launch the former Prime Minister's political journey 16 years ago.
Former minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said that the late King Abdullah personally informed the former Prime Minister during an informal meeting at his palace in Riyadh on January 11, 2010.
The former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) said that, in his understanding, the deceased mentioned that the funds would be deposited into Najib's personal account because he was worried that if the donation was channelled directly into a political entity or organisation, it would complicate his expenses.
"As the two of them walked towards the central area of the meeting hall, I saw Datuk Seri Mohd Najib gesturing for me to join him, the late King Abdullah and his interpreter in the discussion.
"I then followed them and approached the Prime Minister, but stood a little behind him, still within range to hear the conversation and translation of the conversation between them.
“The content of this confidential conversation includes King Abdullah contributing funds to Datuk Seri Najib,” he said in a witness statement.
Jamil Khir, 64, gave evidence in the suit filed by SRC International Sdn Bhd and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, against Najib to recover RM42 million allegedly misappropriated from the parent company’s accounts.
He said that the Saudi Arabian government's intention to help Najib was to maintain Malaysia's stability as a moderate country in addition to strengthening his position in the 2013 elections.
The contribution was also to help counter the influence of Shia and also eradicate religious extremists who were then becoming widespread in the country.
"For King Abdullah, it was important that these issues be addressed because the same problem was happening in the Middle East which eventually triggered the Arab Spring in December 2010," he said.
Jamil Khir further stated that he accompanied the country's delegation from January 13 to January 16, 2010, on the official visit, during which Malaysia consistently received additional quotas of Hajj pilgrims.
Touching on the Saudi Arabian funds, he said Najib then made a donation to the Kedah UMNO State Liaison Division in 2012.
He said that apart from the donation, the good treatment and closeness between Najib and King Abdullah could be seen through the deceased's action of leading the former Prime Minister by the hand as he headed towards the centre of the meeting hall.
“I think that through the way they walk, talk and communicate with each other, it looks like the way a father interacts with his son. That was my observation during the meeting.
“The close relationship was also proven when the former Prime Minister and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, were invited to perform the Hajj at the official invitation of the Saudi Arabian government,” he said.
According to Jamil Khir, Najib was also given the honour of speaking on behalf of all the government’s Hajj guests at a ceremony on 7 November 2011 at Istana Mina, Saudi Arabia.
He said Malaysia was the first Muslim country in the world to be allowed to deliver a speech on behalf of all the leaders of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that year, which illustrated the special relationship between the two.
However, said Jamil Khir, as the Minister of Religious Affairs, he was assigned to represent the Prime Minister in delivering the speech in Arabic.
The trial before Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan continues on 2 March. – February 11, 2026
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