Kuala Lumpur: The prosecution in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's corruption trial involving RM2.3 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) told the High Court today that the former prime minister had spent millions of ringgit from the fund to enhance his image for personal gain.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Public Prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar claimed that Najib used the services of a communications strategy company to boost his image, using money allegedly sourced from unlawful activities, which was deposited into his personal bank account.
Kamal Baharin referred to three cheques, namely RM2 million to media company ORB Solutions Sdn Bhd, RM303,000 to speechwriting firm Semarak Konsortium Satu Sdn Bhd, and RM246,000 issued to Lim Soon Peng to manage the 'Ah Jib Gor' Facebook page in Chinese.
However, Najib disagreed with Kamal Baharin's suggestion, asserting that the money transferred from Tanore Finance Corporation into his personal account was a donation from the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
The former prime minister said that he used ORB Solutions' services as an additional platform, as mainstream media could not effectively convey the government's message to all segments of society, while Semarak Konsortium's role was to write speeches in English for international forums.
Kamal Baharin questioned why Najib used money from his personal account instead of government funds, to which Najib replied that he did not want to burden the government.
Najib also denied that the RM246,000 payment to manage the 'Ah Jib Gor' Facebook page was intended to boost his personal image, stating it was part of his official duties as prime minister to convey government policies to the public.
On Oct 30 last year, Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defence, ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him. Najib faces 25 charges, including four counts of using his position to receive RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds as bribes and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount. The trial resumes tomorrow.