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 Berhad (1MDB), said its former chief executive officer (CEO), Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman.
The 47-year-old witness contended that Jho Low was also in the position to decide who could be the next CEO of the sovereign wealth fund.
The 10th prosecution witness was testifying during cross-examination by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s lawyer, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed in the former premier’s 1MDB trial at the High Court here yesterday.
Wan Aizuddin was referring to an email sent by the witness to another 1MDB top management, its chief financial officer (CFO) Azmi Tahir, in which Mohd Hazem stated that he could recommend Azmi’s name to Jho Low if he was interested to be the next CEO.
Wan 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?
Mohd Hazem: I did not.
Wan Aizuddin: So, are you saying here that Jho Low was in the position to decide who could be the next CEO?
Mohd Hazem: Yes.
The witness also said that he did not have any personal problem to share the internal information of the company to the Penangite as he was “the man of the company”.
Mohd Hazem also agreed to the lawyer’s suggestion that Jho Low had “planted” his cronies in 1MDB, such as Jasmine Loo (1MDB’s general counsel) and Jerome Lee Tak Loong (part of the investment team of 1MDB).
He added that he could not express his dissatisfaction over Jho Low at any meeting as his name had to be kept under wraps.
Further questioned by the lawyer, Mohd Hazem said he was told by Jho Low himself that his (Jho Low) name was never to be mentioned at any official 1MDB meeting, even before he (Mohd Hazem) 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 the most supreme power in Malaysia,” said the witness.
When asked about 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, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from the 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues today. — Bernama
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