KUALA LUMPUR — Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has defended Datuk Seri Najib Razak against accusations of inconsistency in his explanation over the RM42 million SRC International funds, insisting the former prime minister had consistently believed the money was a donation from the Saudi royal family.
Responding to claims in court that Najib had provided five conflicting explanations regarding the funds, Shafee, who is Najib’s lead counsel, said the defence team had examined each statement and found them to be consistent with the former premier’s long-standing position.
“They alleged yesterday that Datuk Seri Najib made five different versions that are inconsistent, and therefore his defence cannot be believed,” Shafee told reporters at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
“We have gone through every one of those statements that were claimed to be contradictory, and found that they are in fact consistent.”
Najib’s belief that the RM42 million was part of a Saudi donation for corporate social responsibility (CSR) purposes, Shafee said, was supported by the fact that a significant portion of the money was later returned.
“The amount he returned — more than three-quarters — supports the fact that he genuinely believed it came from the Saudis and had to be returned,” he said.
Shafee also emphasised that Najib did not personally manage his bank accounts and could not have been expected to scrutinise every transaction.
“He also didn’t manage his bank accounts personally. As Prime Minister and Finance Minister, he could not have been expected to oversee the management of his account.”
He further argued that Najib’s stance had remained unchanged across various investigations and court proceedings, including those by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“His story has been the same throughout. Not only during trials but also during MACC investigations. That shows this is a consistent and honest defence. If there was a mistaken belief, it was a genuine one.”
Addressing Najib’s role in relation to SRC International, Shafee rejected assertions that the former PM had any operational control over the company, saying he merely provided policy direction.
“SRC was meant to be a giant company, just like 1MDB and Petronas. Najib may have given broad suggestions or directions in his capacity as PM or Finance Minister, but the operational management was the responsibility of the board and senior executives.”
He also denied that Najib had ever admitted to knowingly receiving SRC funds, pushing back against what he said was an inaccurate interpretation of the plaintiff’s submissions.
Najib is facing a civil suit filed by SRC International, which is seeking US$1.18 billion in damages for alleged abuse of power and breach of trust during his tenure as the company’s Emeritus Adviser. – July 8, 2025