KUALA LUMPUR – The investigation into Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Arul Kanda Kandasamy’s alleged roles in tampering with 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) 2016 audit report was initiated when former auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang informed the authorities that he was “ordered” to alter the report.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Hanif Lami told the high court here that his investigation was based on statements his team had taken from Ambrin between November and December 2018.
Hanif was being cross-examined by Arul Kanda’s lawyer, Datuk N. Sivananthan, who grilled the graft-buster on the basis of the MACC’s investigation.
Sivananthan: The basis of your investigation was done because you were told that Ambrin was ordered to make the amendments?
Hanif: Yes.
Sivananthan: So Ambrin told you he amended the report because he was ordered to do so?
Hanif: Yes.
Sivananthan: So that is the basis of your investigation?
Hanif: Yes.
In the trial, Najib is accused of having misused his positions as prime minister and finance minister to order changes to the 1MDB audit report to avoid civil or criminal action, while Arul Kanda is accused of abetting him.
Ambrin previously testified that he had to attend a meeting on February 24, 2016, at the office of then chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa, along with senior government officials and Arul Kanda, who was 1MDB president and group chief executive at the time.
Ambrin had expressed his frustration over demands to change his department’s report on 1MDB that was about to be presented to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
In his testimony, Ambrin had said he was “unhappy” and found it “insulting” that Arul Kanda went through the audit report “line by line” and “page by page”.
Ambrin had maintained that the audit report was finalised prior to the meeting, which led to four main items being removed.
Ambrin and the National Audit Department ended up presenting the edited version of the audit report to the PAC on March 4 and 7, 2016.
Hanif was then cross-examined by Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who had questioned whether the February 24, 2016 meeting constituted an exit conference.
Hanif answered that from his understanding, an exit conference should only be attended by the auditee and the auditor, and no other external parties.
Earlier, Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and daughter Nooryana Najwa Najib arrived at the court complex before 9am to show support for the former prime minister.
Also, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akrab Gharib told the court that the prosecution would be unable to close its case today.
This was because the prosecution needs to recall Najib’s former principal private secretary Tan Sri Shukry Mohd Salleh for further cross-examination by the defence.
The hearing before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan will continue at 3pm on September 7. – The Vibes, September 2, 2022
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