I don’t know why SRC dropped suit against me, says ex-director

Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi said he left SRC International to focus on 1MDB’s TRX and Bandar Malaysia projects.

KUALA LUMPUR: A former director of SRC International Sdn Bhd told the High Court here today he did not know why the company discontinued its claim against him in a civil suit which also named Najib Razak and several others as defendants.

Testifying at the trial of the suit, Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, who held the post of director between 2011 and 2012, also said he had made no attempts to resolve the suit with the company.

SRC International filed its suit against the former prime minister in May 2021.

The suit also initially named Shahrol, fellow directors Ismee Ismail, Suboh Yassin, Azhar Osman Khairuddin, Che Abdullah @ Rashidi Che Omar, and former CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as defendants.

However, the company later discontinued its claim against Shahrol, Ismee, Suboh and Azhar Che Abdullah, while judgment in default was obtained against Nik Faisal.

Shahrol, Ismee, Suboh, Azhar and Abdullah were later brought back into the proceedings as third parties by Najib.

Under cross-examination by lawyer Harvinderjit Singh, appearing for Najib, Shahrol told the court he never asked why he was removed.

He also testified that he left SRC International in 2012 because he wanted to focus on 1MDB. Shahrol was 1MDB CEO from 2009 to 2013.

“At the time (2012), 1MDB was embarking on the TRX (Tun Razak Exchange) and Bandar Malaysia projects,” he said.

Harvinderjit: You did not resign because you saw something wrong with the investments that the management took?

Shahrol: No.

The hearing before Justice Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin continues tomorrow.