6 Highlights You Should Know From Najib's First Day Of Trial
The SRC international trial will resume on 15 April.
By Jia Vern Tham — 03 Apr 2019, 07:37 PM
Datuk Seri Najib Razak's first day of trial over his seven charges related to SRC International Sdn Bhd ended earlier today, 3 April
Malaysiakini reported that the trial commenced at the Kuala Lumpur High Court at around 2pm this afternoon. The proceedings ended at about 5.30pm.
Today marked exactly ten years since Najib took office as the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
1. Najib's lawyers tried to delay the trial again
Despite a judicial review application filed on Monday, 1 April to delay the trial, the defence lawyers put in a certificate of urgency in court today to postpone it again.
"We have filed a motion on points of law that should be taken before the trial starts. We have put in a certificate of urgency to look at those motions," Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight.
However, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas revealed that he only received a set of papers at 11.30am today regarding the matter.
"This cannot go on. The defence is insulting intelligence. They had months to do this," Thomas said, according to Malaysiakini.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali eventually ordered the trial to begin, dismissing the defence's motion.
2. The Attorney-General vowed to prove how Najib used money from SRC International
"We will produce evidence to show cheques issued for purchases in Chanel Honolulu, renovation works in his residence 11 Langak Duta, and various payments made to Barisan Nasional politicians," Thomas said.
According to Malay Mail, Najib's credit card was charged USD130,625 (approximately RM532,000) in December 2014 at Chanel in Honolulu, United States.
3. The first witness of the trial was an employee of Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM)
35-year-old Muhamad Akmaluddin Abdullah, an assistant registrar at SSM, was the first to take the witness stand today. His job includes providing information on companies and businesses to the public and government agencies.
He was requested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to run checks on three companies: SRC International, Gandingan Menteri, and Ihsan Perdana.
Akmaluddin spent more than an hour with his testimony revealing details about SRC International and its shareholding.
4. Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown was present at the court complex
Malaysiakini reported that Clare was watching the trial from a video-link room.
"It was good to see the trial finally go ahead, and I know there have been a lot of people who have been very anxious and affected by some of these events, who were wondering if this trial will get on the way," she said.
"We are ready to see justice done with a proper trial conducted," she added.
5. A small group of Najib's supporters chanted "Tolak media asing" (reject foreign media) outside the court
The group, led by a red shirt-clad man who called himself "Sofian Putra", led supporters who chanted "Allahuakbar Takbir" (Allah is great) and "Tolak media asing" (Reject foreign media) after the Sarawak Report editor left the court.
Sofian then told the media that foreign media made "Malays fight Malays", and that they are "liars".
6. Justice Nazlan decided that the trial will resume on 15 April
The judge fixed 15 April to 10 May for the SRC International trial to continue.
"There should be sufficient notice for alternative arrangements to be made. We will start at 9am," Justice Nazlan said, according to The Malaysian Insight.