Najib had a taste for Saudi donations

SRC TRIAL | Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he preferred donations from the Saudi royal family instead of from local corporate donors.

The 67-year-old Pekan MP said he felt more comfortable by not taking local corporate donations as he did not want to be indebted to anyone.

"As the Umno president at that time, I wanted a source of income to make me independent of other donors. That would mean I do not have an IOU (I owe you) with anyone," said the former finance minister when re-examined by his lawyer, Harvinderjit Singh.

Najib said the RM2.6 billion donation from the Saudi royal family was to ensure “independence” in the run-up to the general election in 2013.

To another question, Najib said his bank accounts with AmBank were opened in 2010, following a suggestion by now fugitive businessman Jho Low, or Low Taek Jho, to facilitate the transfer involving large amounts of money from the Saudi royal family.

Najib's lead counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, wrapped up the re-examination.

Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then allowed Najib to step down from the witness stand.

Najib had been testifying from the witness stand since Dec 3 last year in the defence trial.

He is making his defence on seven charges of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd funds, comprising three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of power concerning the SRC funds.

The hearing continues tomorrow. — Bernama