KUALA LUMPUR – KPMG Malaysia’s managing partner Datuk Johan Idris has described former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s instruction to the audit firm to complete and sign off on its audit of 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) 2013 financial statement as a form of intimidation.
He said this when re-examined by lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram at Najib’s trial over the alleged misappropriation of RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds, today.
The 14th prosecution witness was queried about the meeting which took place on the night of December 15, 2013, at Najib’s residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, here.
The 45-minute-long meeting was between KPMG, with Johan as its sole representative, 1MDB and Najib himself.
Sri Ram: You were asked to confirm that the minutes of the meeting do not show there was any pressure exerted by the accused, Najib, upon you at this meeting. You were there, at ground zero, so was there any pressure at all?
Johan: I put it (as) intimidation...Intimidation for us to conclude and sign the audit statement ending March 31, 2013.
Sri Ram: From whom did this come?
Johan: Najib.
At this juncture, Najib’s counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed stood up and objected to the witness’s answer as the word “intimidation” was never raised by the witness in any of his answers.
However, high court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah asked the defence to put forth its submissions.
Previously, the court heard that KPMG had yet to sign off on the audit for 1MDB’s financial statement for the financial year ending March 31, 2013, as 1MDB had yet to provide the information that KPMG had been asking for since April 2013.
Based on the minutes of the meeting, which Johan had typed out himself, he noted that Najib had asked for KPMG to sign the audit by December 31, 2013.
Najib, 68, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before Sequerah continues. – Bernama, May 10, 2022
