KUALA LUMPUR: The former chief executive officer of Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia testified that transfer instructions involving RM32 million were issued as a private request rather than official trustee directives.
Ung Su Ling agreed with defence counsel Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee that the late Datuk Azlin Alias’s instructions fell outside his capacity as a YR1M trustee.
She confirmed that no constitutional provisions, policies, or employment contracts required her compliance with Azlin’s transfer requests.
The testimony emerged during cross-examination in the RM42 million civil suit against former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Ung acknowledged the absence of written mandates or formal board minutes authorising the fund transfers to the two specified accounts.
Defence counsel questioned why she did not inquire about transaction details despite handling substantial fund movements.
Ung explained that she did not typically question trustees about their instructions when sufficient information was provided.
Muhammad Farhan challenged this response by highlighting her earlier characterisation of the instruction as a private request rather than trustee directive.
The witness maintained that questioning superiors was not her practice, particularly when dealing with the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary.
Previous proceedings established that Azlin instructed transfers of RM27 million and RM5 million through WhatsApp messages in December 2014.
The funds were directed to two AmIslamic bank accounts later identified as belonging to Najib during his criminal trial.
The civil suit alleges breach of fiduciary duties, knowing receipt of funds, and abuse of power regarding SRC International fund misappropriation.
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan will resume hearings on October 6. – Bernama
