KUALA LUMPUR: Although he had no formal power in the administration of sovereign wealth fund Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), Low Taek Jho or Jho Low could still influence the decisions at executive level.
The High Court heard that this was because the fugitive businessman had represented both higher-ups - Sultan of Terengganu Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (who was then the Yang di-Pertuan Agong) and Datuk Seri Najib Razak who represented the Federal Government.
A prosecution witness revealed this when he was testifying on the 11-day of Najib’s trial involving the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), formerly known as TIA.
The witness, former 1MDB chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, 49, said he saw Low playing a huge role as an adviser in TIA and on several occasions he saw Low relaying Najib’s desires but he (Shahrol) had to refer those orders back to Najib in writing to confirm them since they were big decisions.
“I found that the messages and orders relayed by Jho Low were consistent with Najib’s feedback which were conveyed through meeting minutes and verbally,” he said.
The ninth prosecution witness also said that Low’s appointment remained a mystery until TIA issued a formal resolution on April 8, 2009.
He said Low was already in TIA as an adviser but had never mentioned who had appointed him (Low) to the ‘position’ in TIA.
“Jho Low told me himself that there must be a black and white (official appointment) from TIA to ensure that his role was transparent.
“However, before the official appointment was made, all his actions and role were consistent as that of an adviser to both the Terengganu state government and the Federal Government.
“This means that the official appointment letter was just a formality because his role was executed from the beginning, even before I joined TIA,” the witness said.
Trial continues tomorrow before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Najib, 66, is facing four charges of having used his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same money.