PUTRAJAYA, Jan 16 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today said that he did not call 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh directly regarding a US$1 billion (RM4.4 billion) deal, but had instead spoke to the chairman through Low Taek Jho’s handphone because it was "convenient”.

Testifying in his own defence over RM2 billion of 1MDB’s funds which allegedly entered his personal bank accounts, Najib confirmed that Low was at the 1MDB board meeting on September 26, 2009 when the phone call was made, but said Low was not there on his invitation.

Just before that 1MDB board meeting could start, Low spoke to Najib over the phone, and then handed his mobile phone to 1MDB’s chairman Bakke. Najib confirmed this and also confirmed that he spoke with Bakke using Low’s phone.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam then asked: "Why didn’t you choose to speak to Tan Sri Bakke through his phone number, obviously you have his phone number by then?”

Najib replied: "It is a matter of convenience, he handed, I didn’t think there was anything wrong.”

Responding to Mustaffa’s suggestion that the fact he chose to speak to Bakke through Low’s phone showed that he was comfortable with Low at that time, Najib said: "At that time, I didn’t think he was up to all the mischief at that time.”

Mustaffa: At that time, you were comfortable letting Jho Low know you were close to him?

Najib: I didn’t want people to think I was beholden to him, I wanted people to think I was using him specifically for Middle East connection.

Mustaffa: You were using him?

Najib: Yes, I was using him, I wanted to tap into his connection there.

Bakke had previously told the High Court that Low had passed the phone while saying "PM on the line, want to speak to you”, and that Najib had asked the board to quickly firm up a decision on the US$1 billion deal. He said the 1MDB board then agreed in its meeting to approve the deal.

Najib previously denied that his phone call was meant to pressure the 1MDB board into approving the deal.

Among other things, Najib today confirmed that Low was seen at his private residence and at his offices at the Defence Ministry, Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office over the years, saying that Low "came to see me and also members of my family, because he was quite close, especially to Riza”. Riza Aziz is Najib’s stepson.

Asked to confirm that Low’s presence at those places were true and that there was nothing wrong about it, Najib replied: "Yeah, there were times that he came, but not to say he was there all the time, tak ada lah (don’t have lah).”

Najib said he first got to know Low when he was deputy prime minister, but said he could not recall the exact year he was introduced to Low.

Najib said he knew Low via the latter’s connection with Najib’s stepson Riza. He said this was because Riza and Jho Low’s brother Low Taek Szen were previously at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Because of this connection with Riza, Najib said he believed it was Riza who introduced Low to his other family members.

Najib confirmed the whole family including his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor knew Low.

At one point during the trial today, Najib confirmed he was on the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) then crown prince’s brother Sheikh Mansour Zayed Al Nahyan’s yacht Topaz in 2013 for a family holiday.

Najib also confirmed that Low, Riza and Joey McFarland were all present on the same yacht on July 5, 2013. Both McFarland and Riza were producers of the movie Wolf of Wall Street.

In this trial, the prosecution has said it would show that Low — better known as Jho Low and now a fugitive wanted for his role in the 1MDB scandal — was the alter ego and mirror image of Najib in 1MDB affairs.

Najib’s lawyers have previously argued that Low is not his mirror image.

Najib’s 1MDB trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah resumes tomorrow.