Malay Mail
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low had in 2015 ordered the preparation of an “Arab donation” letter to explain cash deposits into then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s private bank account, the High Court heard today.
Former 1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo, the 50th prosecution witness in Najib’s trial over the misappropriation of 1MDB’s RM2.27 billion, said she had seen a draft of the Arab donation letters — dated 2014 — in a London hotel.
Loo today said Low had during the 2013 to 2014 period told her that Najib had a private bank account opened in AmBank to receive donations from Saudi Arabia, and that she was asked by Low to meet at the business centre in the Hotel Mayfair in London in early 2015 while she was in that city in the UK.
Loo said that when she arrived at that business centre in the London hotel, she saw three individuals there, namely Kee Kok Thiam, Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB) managing director Datuk Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman, and Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M) project director Dennis See.
“At that time, Datuk Shamsul was asking Jho Low what the solution is regarding the money received in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s account that was said to have come from Putrajaya Perdana and SRC. Datuk Shamsul said various quarters have started asking about Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s account where the money that flowed into it was said to be money from 1MDB.
“After that, Jho Low ordered Kee Kok Thiam to prepare a letter of confirmation from Prince Saud to state the money that were deposited into Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s account are donations from Saudi Arabia.
“After that, I went out briefly with Jho Low for a discussion about other matters, but when I went back into the same business centre room, I saw Kee Kok Thiam preparing the draft for the donation letter from Prince Saud,” she said, before going on to confirm this as being the draft for a letter dated 2014.
Jasmine Loo’s lawyer Edmund Bon (right) is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur High Court February 14, 2024. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
Jasmine Loo’s lawyer Edmund Bon (right) is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur High Court February 14, 2024. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
Loo referred to a purported letter from HRH Prince Saud Abdulaziz Al-Saud dated June 1, 2014 to Najib, noting: “I confirm having seen the draft of this letter on a computer screen at the Business Centre at Hotel Mayfair, London in early 2015.”
“The letter prepared by Kee Kok Thiam at that time is related to the donation from Prince Saud Abdulaziz Al Saud to Datuk Seri Najib Razak. I’m not certain about the donation amount at that time.
“I saw at that time the draft did not have a signature yet and am not sure when that letter was sent to Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Therefore, I believe the date stated on this letter is backdated,” she said, but added that she had “never seen and have no knowledge” about the other purported Arab donation letters.
Kee, who was a suspect in the 1MDB case and an alleged associate of Low, was brought back to Malaysia on May 3, 2023 with the cooperation of enforcement agencies from abroad. Kee reportedly died of a sudden stroke on May 29.
Previously, Najib’s lawyers had produced four purported letters — in photocopied form — in this 1MDB trial to claim that the funds that entered Najib’s accounts were Saudi donations.
The four purported letters addressed to Najib were signed off by the alleged Saudi prince — alternately as “Saud Abdulaziz Al-Saud”, “HRH Prince Saud Abdulaziz Al-Saud”, and “Saud Abdulaziz Al Saud”. The four letters were dated February 1, 2011 with the alleged prince promising a US$100 million (RM478 million) gift to Najib, November 1, 2011 (US$375 million), March 1, 2013 (US$800 million) and June 1, 2014 (£50 million).
But the prosecution had previously in December 2022 insisted that Najib will not be able to use these four letters to defend himself over the RM2.27 billion as other courts had found the letters to be a fabrication.
Najib’s 1MDB trial resumes this Friday.
News Related
-
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar’s cost Sources within Umno have not ruled out strong speculation since last month about a so-called “exit plan” for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a move that could pave the way for his political retirement having survived more ...
See Details:
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar's cost
-
Brianna Ghey died after she was found with fatal stab wounds in a park Two teenagers accused of murdering Brianna Ghey showed a “preoccupation” with “violence, torture and death”, a court has heard. The body of Brianna, 16, who was transgender, was discovered by dog walkers in a park in ...
See Details:
Murder-accused teens 'had preoccupation with torture'
-
ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY Guard Corps Commander-in-Cheif Major General Hossein Salami speaks at an anti-Israel protest in Tehran on Saturday. The IRGC trained Hezbollah to use human shields, say the writers. The conflict in Gaza has raised a deeply troubling issue: Reports suggest that Hamas is deliberately using civilians as shields, a ...
See Details:
A plea for Islamic voices against using human shields - opinion
-
Photo for illustration purposes only. – BERNAMA FILE PIX SHAH ALAM – The government needs to strengthen the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, especially with the exemption of visas for Chinese and Indian citizens visiting the country starting Dec 1. Universiti Tun Abdul Razak economic expert Emeritus Professor Dr ...
See Details:
Strengthen MM2H programme, promote multiple entry visa
-
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill KUALA LUMPUR: The generational end-game (GEG) element has been removed from the revised Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2023 Bill tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 28). This is as the Health Ministry tries for the ...
See Details:
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill
-
-
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia Airlines launches year-end sale
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Dr M accuses govt of bribery over allocations
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia to check if the Netherlands still keen to send flood experts
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Appeals court to rule in Isa’s graft case on Jan 31
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Elephants Trample On Axia With Family Of Three Inside
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Sirul fitted with monitoring device
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Nigerian airliner lands at wrong airport
OTHER NEWS
THOSE looking for fresh produce may find themselves spoilt for choice at the biggest wet market in Klang, but visitors to the place say the condition of the facilities and ...
Read more »
Olive Grove is the first-ever gated-and-guarded development in Bercham, Ipoh with 24-hour security. IPOH: YTL Land and Development Bhd announced that Phase 1 of Olive Grove is fully sold while ...
Read more »
Screenshots of a video showing a teenager pointing a knife at an elderly e-hailing driver. PETALING JAYA: Police have arrested a 13-year-old boy for holding an elderly e-hailing driver at ...
Read more »
Sprint Highway’s Semantan To KL Slip Road Fully Closed Until Dec 31 If you’re a regular user of the Sprint expressway, you’ll need to do some planning for your trips ...
Read more »
Genshin Impact Version 4.3 Leak Showcases Update to Domains New leaks reveals a quality-of-life update to Domains in Genshin Impact, making it easier for players to repeat and farm resources. ...
Read more »
CG Computers will host the Urban Republic (UR) Warehouse Clearance from 30 November to 3 December at the Atria Shopping Gallery in Petaling Jaya. During the event, visitor can get ...
Read more »
Photo for illustrative purposes only – 123RF KUALA LUMPUR – Hyperinflation has never happened in Malaysia and the government hopes it will never happen, according to the Economy Ministry. It ...
Read more »