KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, was revealed to be very close to Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the extent that the former kept blank letterheads from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the High Court heard today.
Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) general counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan said the letter, which was printed on yellow paper, was kept inside an envelope for Low's use if necessary.
She said this when testified as a key witness in Najib's corruption trial for misappropriating millions of 1MDB funds before presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
"I often saw Low and Najib together at events related to 1MDB.
"At that time, I believed that the instructions given by Low relating to 1MDB were in line with Najib's wishes.
"For example, I saw a letter from the PMO regarding the appointment of Hazem Rahman, which Low prepared at his house in Jalan Kia Peng.
"He said that he would bring it to Najib for signature.
"Subsequently, the same letter, after being signed, was sent to the 1MDB office, and Hazem Rahman was appointed as the chief executive officer (at that time)," she said.
Loo said Low would also join Najib to assist the latter during his official visit as the then-prime minister.
"In 2013, Najib went to New York to attend the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
"Low was also in New York waiting for Najib at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
"He (Low) also organised a meeting for Najib with American investors and Goldman Sachs.
"I was instructed to attend the meeting at the Time Warner Center next to the Mandarin Oriental to monitor and report to Low on the discussions," she said.
Najib, 70, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.