KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — A former special aide to Datuk Seri Najib Razak has admitted that he had received "pocket money” from fugitive financier Low Taek Jho for several overseas trips.

Testifying against his former employer in the latter’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption trial today, Datuk Amhari Efendi recalled he had received funds from Low or Jho Low during official trips to New York and London.

During cross-examination by lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Amhari then said that Low was also present at those official trips abroad when Najib was the prime minister.

Shafee: So you received money for both of these trips from Jho Low?

Amhari: Yes.

Shafee: How much did you receive?

Amhari: I can’t remember but maybe a few thousand dollars

Shafee: So you received the money from Jho Low and you also claimed back from the overseas trip?

Amhari: Yes.

On September 5, Amhari also admitted that he had received a USD200,000 as a bridging loan for a home purchase in Kota Damansara in 2010. 

Low had also set the term of the interest-free loan to be payable when able, claimed Amhari.