[UPDATED] Arul Kanda claims others involved in ‘suppressing’ 1MDB info

KUALA LUMPUR – Certain individuals who were involved in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal had taken active steps to “suppress information” from reaching the National Audit Department (NAD) when the sovereign wealth fund was in the process of being audited in 2015, the high court here heard today.

During the trial of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s alleged role in the tampering with the 2016 auditor-general 1MDB report, former 1MDB chief executive Arul Kanda Kandasamy said they were having difficulties producing the necessary documents required by the NAD for the audit process.

Arul Kanda was being grilled by Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on why former auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang had testified that 1MDB was either uncooperative or unresponsive to providing the necessary documents to NAD so the audit could be completed.

Previously, Ambrin testified in court that NAD had difficulties in gaining necessary information from 1MDB.

“There were requests from NAD for documents and information. Unfortunately, not all those documents were available, partly because MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) and the police raided 1MDB in July 2015.

“So they have taken away a lot of files, documents, even some of the hard drives, computer servers, things like that. That was one reason why we didn’t have ready access to information.

“Also, now I know that some people in one 1MDB were actively suppressing information or sharing of information,” said Arul Kanda, who turned star witness for the prosecution.

He added that he was not responsible for day-to-day operations of 1MDB, nor directly corresponded with NAD for the audit process as such tasks were the responsibility of then 1MDB CFO Azmi Tahir.

In this trial, Najib is charged with abusing his position as prime minister and finance minister to order amendments in February 2016 to the auditor-general’s audit report on 1MDB before its finalisation and presentation to the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any civil or criminal action against him, while Arul Kanda is charged with abetting Najib in the report’s tampering.

While Arul Kanda, 45, has given his testimony as a star witness in the prosecution’s case, he is still a co-accused in this trial, charged with abetting the former prime minister in making the amendments to the report.

Both of them were charged under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. 

The court was adjourned and the hearing is set to resume on September 2. – The Vibes, August 26, 2022