KUALA LUMPUR: The last day of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial for the year ended with the High Court being told why a former AmBank relationship manager, who handled Datuk Seri Najib Razak's account, had no direct dealing with the account holder.
Joanna Yu Gin Ping, 51, told Najib's lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah that she never directly dealt with Najib due to the layers of protocol that surrounded him as the prime minister.
She said Najib at that time was perceived as a busy man due to his position and that he would not meet some next-door banker.
Therefore, she said only Cheah Tek Kuang, the former managing director of the bank, or Low Taek Jho (known as Jho Low) would meet Najib on his AmBank account matters.
However, Yu looked uncomfortable when Shafee asked who told her that Najib was "uncontactable" due to his position at that time.
Yu: Protocol-wise, I was told that he was the PM (prime minister), so we (the bank officers) don't deal directly with the PM.
Shafee: Did anyone tell you this? This frightening thing about PM, or was it just your perception?
Yu: Perhaps, it was my own perception.
Shafee: Did you try to contact Najib?
Yu: No… I did not.
Yu, on Dec 13, told the court she only dealt with Low or former 1MDB chief investment officer Nik Faisal Nik Ariff on matters regarding Najib's account.
Nik Faisal was the authorised personnel for Najib's accounts.
This was because she and the bank did not have direct access to Najib.
Earlier, Yu agreed with Shafee's suggestion that it was normal for a person with a packed schedule such as Najib to have an account mandate, where they appointed personnel to manage their account matters.
However, she said, it was her first experience dealing with an account mandate.
Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 money laundering charges involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Jan 27, 30 and 31 next year.