.JPG "Datuk Matnoor Nawi (left) and Datuk Maliami Hamad are pictured at the Kuala Lumpur High Court July 8, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri")
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — SRC International Sdn Bhd received special attention from then prime minister and was in desperate need for funding when two government guarantees were granted to the company between 2011 and 2012, the High Court was told during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s trial today.
The ministry’s Loan Management, Financial Market and Actuary Division former secretary Maliami Hamad testified that these were the reasons given to his subordinate when confronted over the need to expedite the preparation of a Cabinet memorandum.
The memorandum concerns the granting of the government guarantees for a total of RM4 billion loan SRC International obtained from the Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP).
“I was questioned by my subordinate Afidah Azwa on why the Finance Ministry needed to quicken the process as she did not have sufficient time to verify information provided by SRC International before they were included into the memorandum.
“I told her the instruction I received came from then Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah who said SRC received special attention from the PM himself and the company was in desperate need of funding,” he said in his witness statement here.
Afidah Azwa Abdul Aziz, who is the prosecution’s 41st witness, previously testified that she was instructed to prepare the internal memo and a Cabinet memorandum on the same day to be included for the Cabinet’s consideration on August 15, 2011 by Maliami.
At that time, Najib was the prime minister and also held the portfolio of finance minister.
During the course of the trial, witnesses have testified that KWAP granted a total of RM4 billion in loans in August 2011 and March 2012 to SRC International, with money allegedly flowing through other companies before being transferred into Najib’s accounts.
Najib is currently standing trial for seven money laundering and criminal breach of trust charges over RM42 million in SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
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