KUALA LUMPUR: A former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) employee has denied that his appointment as the company secretary was based on a recommendation from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low.
Lim Poh Seng was appointed as the company secretary of Terengganu Investment Authority Bhd (TIA) since its incorporation on Feb 27, 2009.
On Sept 25, the same year, TIA changed its name to 1MDB.
Speaking in court today, Lim said his appointment as the company secretary was done and resolved through the Directors' Circular Resolution (DCR) of the company.
"I also attended several TIA meetings as requested by Jho Low as he was the one who organised and conducted those meetings," he said in his witness statement.
Lim was testifying as the 18th prosecution witness in the corruption trial involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who has been accused of embezzling RM2.28 billion of 1MDB funds.
Najib's lawyer, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, when cross-examining the witness, then zoomed in on the relationship between Lim and Low.
Aizuddin: Can you tell the court how you became acquainted with Jho Low?
Lim: He made the first approach to (ask me to) render some corporate services to several companies he had recommended.
Aizuddin: Can you recall what year that was?
Lim: I cannot recall.
Aizuddin: But you can recall that Jho Low had approached you and that he had recommended you to provide services to some companies?
Lim: Yes.
Aizuddin then asked Lim if Low had offered him the position as company secretary for TIA, to which Lim replied in the negative, and that it was approved by the board.
Najib is facing four charges of having used his position to obtain gratification totaling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds. He also faces 21 counts of money-laundering involving the same money.
The former prime minister and former finance minister is accused of committing the offences at AmIslamic Bank Bhd at No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014.
For the money=laundering charges, Najib was accused of committing the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013 and Aug 30, 2013.
The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on May 17.