KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has hired New York public relations firm Karv Communications for US$140,000 (RM585,760) as the trial involving former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng over his involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) continues in the US.
According to documents filed with the Justice Department yesterday, American new site Politico reported that Karv will serve as a subcontractor to Najib’s lawyer Tania Scivetti for an initial period of two months.
The firm’s spokesperson told the news site that Karv is hired “to help ensure Najib’s actions and views are understood by US journalists and presented accurately in any US media coverage – including during the trial of Ng currently underway in the Eastern District of New York”.
According to its website, Karv describes itself as a “globally recognised strategic communications firm specialising in sophisticated corporate and financial communications, crisis and personal reputation management, litigation support and public affairs”.
Najib has been a figure during Ng’s trial, especially when former colleague Tim Leissner testified to the former prime minister’s alleged involvement in the financial scandal.
Leissner, who is hardly a poster boy for being truthful, told the court last month that his ex-boss Lloyd Blankfein’’ meeting with Najib in 2009 came with an agenda and it took place before the bank’s mega bond deals for 1MDB.
He added that he was told by Ng that Najib would be in New York to visit his children for the Thanksgiving holiday. He alleged that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, said it would be good for Blankfein and Najib to meet.
Leissner said after a meeting with Najib, Ng said the Malaysian prime minister wanted jobs for his children at Goldman.
He added that he did not express any qualms as “the prime minister of Malaysia was potentially great business for us, so I felt having the children of the prime minister work for us would potentially be seen, not just for the prime minister”, but “all others in Asia would take notice”.
He then admitted to helping Najib’s daughter get a job at TPG, which is an American investment company.
Leissner also testified that Low made a list of people in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi who needed to be bribed to ensure that the 1MDB plan was approved. Among the names in his testimony were Najib and United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour. – The Vibes, March 10, 2022
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