KUALA LUMPUR: A witness who earlier testified how Datuk Seri Najib Razak gave him a RM300,000 cheque had everyone grinning when he pointed at the latter and said “Malu apa bossku” (Nothing to be ashamed, my boss).
Johor Baru Umno division secretary Abu Talib Alias uttered the Najib-coined slogan after he was asked if Najib was present in court.
The long-time Umno member’s response also elicited a chuckle from Najib, who was sitting in the dock.
Abu Talib had earlier revealed that he collected the cheque from the Prime Minister’s Office in 2015.
He said the money was to be used for the daily operations of the Umno division and also for social economic programmes.
Abu Talib said the Johor Baru Umno division chief Tan Sri Shahrir Samad was also aware of the money given by Najib.
Earlier, another witness - Umno Padang Serai division chief Asmadi Abu Talib also related how Najib had given him a RM50,000 cheque when he met the former Umno president in 2014.
Asmadi said the cheque was issued under his name and not that of the division.
He said this was done to prevent the contribution from being reflected in the division’s official accounts.
“This was done so that it won’t have to go through the Umno annual general meeting and any audit processes,” he said.
Asmadi said Najib issued the cheque to him after the latter was briefed about the challenges he (Asmadi) faced in conducting party programmes for his division due to limited funds.
“Najib gave me some encouragement to lift my spirits before he issued the cheque.
“The money is all gone as it was spent on various programmes and also used to help the poor including to buy school uniforms for the needy,” he said.
During cross-examination, lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah asked both witnesses if such a system of the party president giving contributions to Umno division heads has been practiced from the time of previous party presidents including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Both said as far as they knew, such practice had been going on for a long time.
The proceedings today began with the eighth prosecution witness testifying how he was paid RM77,300 for construction and repair works at Najib’s house in Pekan in 2014.
Daud Mohd, who operates a company named Syadila Enterprise, said the work included construction of two water towers and repairs of some doorknobs and the kitchen.
Later, the widow Najib's former private secretary said she received financial aid totalling RM52,680 via three cheques to support her children’s education.
Manisah Othman, the wife of late Amirudin Mohd Baria said a month before the latter died, Najib visited her family at the Prince Court Medical Centre in June 2013 when the deceased was battling with stage four colon cancer.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, the 55-year-old statistician said she received a cheque of RM13,800 in 2015 under her name for the education of her two sons aged 27 and 23.
Saifuddin: When he visited your husband at the hospital, did he say anything?
Manisah: Najib promised that he will help support my children’s education if anything happens to my husband.
Saifuddin: Did you get any help?
Manisah: Alhamdulillah, yes.
She said Najib has stuck to his word when he promised to help with her two children’s education if anything happened to Amirudin.
“He kept his promise and helped us,” she said.
She said the cheque was passed to her by one Khairul who used to be her late husband’s colleague at the PMO.
Manisah also testified that her husband was Najib’s private secretary when the latter was the education minister and when Najib became the defence minister, Amirudin worked for Boustead Holdings Bhd.
She said Amirudin was appointed as Boustead’s liason officer attached to the PMO when Najib became the deputy prime minister.
During cross-examination by Shafee, Manisah agreed that Najib also gave two other cheques worth RM9,360 and RM27, 520 in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
To a question by Shafee, she said when Najib promised to help support her children’s education, he did not specify how much or when he will give the money.
Manisah said she was now paying for her children’s education using her own money but she did not inform Najib about it.
“Both my children are still studying. My youngest son has a kidney problem. He had to defer his studies due to his condition and there was a plan for my eldest to be a live kidney donor to my youngest so both had to drag their studies because of this," she said.
Najib is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one count of abuse of power over funds amounting to RM42 million linked to SRC International.
He is also facing three money laundering charges over the same fund.
He faces up to 20 years jail and fine for the offences.
The trial continues.