KUALA LUMPUR – Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah will file an application for contempt of court against several media outlets over reports that his client Datuk Seri Najib Razak bought votes in the 13th general election (GE13).
Shafee named New Straits Times when announcing this to reporters outside the court here today, following Najib’s 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MBD) trial. Earlier in the proceedings, he had also named Astro Awani and Sinar Harian.
He said the reports, based on a witness’ testimony, had “upset” Najib.
The contempt of court application will be filed by the defence team at the next trial proceedings scheduled for Monday, January 8, Shafee said.
The reports that had upset the former Umno president were published in January, when the 49th prosecution witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer Nur Aida Ariffin, testified that Najib received a total of US$681 million (RM3.1 billion) from Tanore Finance Corporation, which, based on complaints received by MACC, was used as “bribe money” to buy votes in GE13.
Nur Aida was among the MACC officers who had investigated the 1MDB scandal before it was brought to court. She read out her witness statement in court proceedings earlier this week.
Based on a complaint that MACC received, Shafee said the news media had reported the matter in a misleading manner.
“The current proceeding uses written statements from a witness that were prepared beforehand, so there is no ‘filter’ when he or she reads them (in court).
“Moreover, the current witness has not gone through the cross-examination process, so there is no telling yet whether her witness statement is true or not.”
The lawyer also took issue with Nur Aida’s testimony, saying it appeared conclusive, whereas her role as an investigating officer was only to collect evidence and testimonies.
“In my 46 years of being a lawyer, this is the first time I have seen an investigating officer make such a conclusion as if she is writing a judgement from the court.
“We object (to her statement) entirely,” Shafee told reporters.
“This is the first time (I’m hearing this). I have no idea how this witness could have woken up from her dream and said the funds were to buy votes,” he added.
The money involved was US$681 million (RM3.1 billion), which the witness said was from Tanore Finance Corporation but which Shafee said was a donation from Saudi Arabia.
Najib is facing four charges of using his position to obtain an alleged RM2.3 billion bribe from 1MDB funds. He is also facing 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
He is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence for misappropriating SRC International Sdn Bhd funds. – January 5, 2023