1MDB trial to resume Dec 2 with 11 defence witnesses; Shafee says Najib testifying as he has nothing to fear, sorry not sign of guilt

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 —- Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will be calling at least 11 witnesses to the High Court to testify in his defence in his 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial, his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said today.

He added that Najib is disappointed over the High Court’s decision today which ordered him to defend himself against all 25 charges in the 1MDB corruption and money laundering trial.

“If you were to ask me, what do we feel? We feel extremely disappointed, my client feels extremely disappointed because we have put up arguments that we thought, minimum, would require a serious consideration,” he told reporters at the court complex here.

Shafee said the defence team respects the High Court’s decision, but will not give up and will fight the case.

As for Najib’s decision to give a sworn statement as his own defence witness from the witness stand, Shafee said: “He has always wanted to give a sworn statement, because he opens himself up to scrutiny, because there is nothing for him to fear.”

He added that Najib wants to be cross-examined by the prosecution as a defence witness in the 1MDB trial, again saying that there is “nothing to fear”.

The 1MDB trial will continue on December 2, with Najib to be the first defence witness.

Shafee also said the defence might call more witnesses to testify for Najib as the 1MDB trial is set to continue on for the whole of next year, adding that some of them could include those offered by the prosecution.

Apology not admission of guilt

Shafee also responded to questions about Najib’s recent apology over the 1MDB scandal, claiming that his client’s press statement had been misinterpreted.

“Datuk Seri Najib apologised that the 1MDB debacle happened during his watch. He’s not saying that ‘I did it’, he is not saying that.

“He has to apologise because he’s number one. Under the Westminster system, if you are the head of the government and a bad thing happened under your watch, you apologise, among other things, you apologise. And that’s precisely what he did,” he said.

Shafee claimed that Najib’s apology last week was not intended to get a better outcome at the High Court here, and stressed that it did not mean his client was admitting guilt.

“He did not apologise for those purposes in order to get a better result here, no. He thought it was already due for him to apologise, merely because it took place during his watch. He’s not saying he’s guilty, criminally or negligently or recklessly,” he said.