THE Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s legal team to strike out part of a witness statement by former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) chief executive Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi after his counsel objected to the passage being hearsay today.
Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Redzuan Idrus granted an application by Najib’s counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, to remove part of paragraph 20.4 of Shahrol Azral’s witness statement.
The application was made while Shahrol Azral, the fourth witness for 1MDB, was reading his statement in the civil suit brought against Najib and other former 1MDB officials.
In allowing the application, Mohamad Redzuan said the court would not take the disputed portion of the paragraph into consideration.
Earlier, Shafee rose to object after Shahrol Azral read the opening portion of his statement.
"I object to paragraph 20.4, as it appears to convey the message that Low Taek Jho, or as he is better known as Jho Low, was a proxy for Datuk Seri Najib, when this could only be said if he had heard it himself from Najib.
"He gives the impression that Jho Low himself made such a claim, and therefore the evidence is hearsay," he said.
Counsel GK Ganesan, representing former 1MDB investment director Kelvin Tan, the fifth defendant, also raised a similar objection and said he would address the matter in his submissions next week.
1MDB counsel Nathalie Ker said the plaintiffs would respond to the defendants’ objections during their submissions.
1MDB and its subsidiaries Energy Holdings Limited, 1MDB Energy Limited, 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited and Global Diversified Investment Company Limited, formerly known as 1MDB Global Investments Limited, are the plaintiffs in the suit.
The suit was filed on May 7, 2021, naming Najib; former 1MDB finance director Terrence Geh Choh Heng; former executive director Casey Tang Keng Chee; former chief investment officer Vincent Beng Huat Koh; former investment director Kelvin Tan Kay Jim; and former chief investment officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as defendants.
According to the writ of summons, the plaintiffs alleged, among other matters, that the defendants had committed breaches of trust, breached statutory duties, abused their powers and conspired to misappropriate 1MDB funds.
Earlier in today’s proceedings, 1MDB withdrew its claim against another defendant, former chief financial officer Radhi Mohamad.
1MDB counsel Lee Shih said Radhi, 55, and 1MDB had agreed to terms for a consent judgment to be recorded by the court.
"Your Honour, I can confirm that the plaintiffs and the sixth defendant wish to record a consent judgment or consent order today. Under the consent order, the suit against Radhi will be discontinued, without liberty to file afresh," he said.
Radhi’s counsel, Datuk M Reza Hassan, confirmed that the parties had agreed to the terms.
Mohamad Redzuan subsequently recorded the consent judgment.
The proceedings will resume this coming Monday .- August 13, 2026
