KUALA LUMPUR – Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, was “the man of the company”, although he had no official position in 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), said its former chief executive officer.
Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman, 47, contends that Jho Low also had the power to decide on CEOs of the sovereign wealth fund.
The 10th prosecution witness said this during cross-examination by Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lawyer, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, in the former prime minister’s 1MDB trial at the high court here today.
Aizuddin was referring to an email sent by the witness to another member of 1MDB’s top management, its chief financial officer Azmi Tahir, in which Hazem stated he could recommend Azmi’s name to Jho Low if he was interested in becoming the next CEO.
Aizuddin: You said if Azmi was interested in the job, you would recommend his name to Jho Low. Did you do this in the end?
Hazem: I did not.
Aizuddin: So, are you saying here that Jho Low was in the position to decide who could be the next CEO?
Hazem: Yes.
The witness also said that he did not have any problems sharing internal information concerning the company with Jho Low as he was “the man of the company”.
Hazem also agreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that Jho Low had “planted” his cronies in 1MDB, such as Jasmine Loo (1MDB general counsel) and Jerome Lee Tak Loong (1MDB investment team).
He added that he could not express his dissatisfaction over Jho Low’s presence at any meetings as his name had to be kept under wraps.
Upon further questioning, Hazem said he was told by Jho Low himself that the latter’s name was not to be mentioned at any official 1MDB meeting, even before he (Hazem) had joined the company.
“He told me this at our meeting in Putrajaya, when I was being offered the chief operating officer post for 1MDB in 2012. This was the culture that had been practised. Everyone was aware and understood that, on record, his name was never to be mentioned. It was well understood.
“This is not just any company. It is a government-owned company and owned by the one who held supreme power in Malaysia,” said the witness.
On the billions in monies transacted for various projects, the witness said he was solely following Jho Low’s instructions in the finance and operations of 1MDB.
Najib, 67, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow. – Bernama, February 9, 2021
