PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told the High Court today that a phone call he made to the then-crown prince of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was intended to document a loan secured by his filmmaker stepson, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, from Aabar Investments PJS.
The former Prime Minister stated that the funds were transferred to Riza following a decision by Emirati royal Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as a loan from Aabar Investments.
“He (Riza) was told it was a loan and accepted it on that basis. I’m sure if he knew it was otherwise, he wouldn’t have accepted it.
“He knew it was straightforward clean money given by Aabar and as a result of that, he makes movies. The movies make money,“ said Najib during a re-examination by his counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, at his trial for the alleged misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds.
Najib said once Riza’s movies started making money, the latter began paying back a significant amount of the loan.
“My call to the crown prince was really to get it documented. Riza’s action of paying back shows that he believed it was a loan and clean money,“ he said.
Riza, who co-founded Red Granite Pictures with producer Joey McFarland in 2010 has produced several Hollywood movies including the Academy Award-winning, The Wolf of Wall Street.
In previous proceedings, the prosecution contended that the movies were produced using funds misappropriated from 1MDB.
When questioned by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah about his infamous family vacation aboard a yacht with the Saudi royal family and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) in Southern France, Najib stated that it would not have made sense for government officials, particularly those from Wisma Putra, to be present as it was a private family holiday.
“When I am on holiday, there is no need for Wisma Putra to get involved. I was there with my family. When you are relaxing, you do not want government officials to be there with you.
“They would have felt awkward to be there as they know they are intruding into your holiday, into your private matters,” Najib explained.
Najib said that having a government official onboard the RM Elegance yacht during a hi-tea invitation from the son of the late Saudi Arabia ruler, Prince Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud would have been a massive undertaking.
“It was not a formal meeting to begin with. I don’t think Prince Turki would have been pleased if he saw an official representing the government on the yacht.
“It was a social meeting based on getting to know each other, that was it. I was on a holiday and when I am on one, I do not get Wisma Putra involved,” he said.
On Oct 30 last year, Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
Najib, 71, faces 25 charges, including four charges of using his position to obtain RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds as bribes and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The hearing resumes tomorrow.
