Former 1MDB CEO Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman has denied in court that he treated fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, as if he were a prime minister. The denial came during testimony in an ongoing civil case, according to a report by The Star.
Hazem also rejected suggestions that he had struck a deal with the late prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram to testify in favor of 1MDB. The Star separately reported that Hazem told the court he had no idea why he was removed from a US$5.64 billion lawsuit filed by the state investment fund.
The Edge Malaysia reported that testimony in the case has alleged former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak signed pre-prepared board minutes for 1MDB that had been drafted by Jho Low. The Sun Malaysia, meanwhile, noted that 1MDB and its former chief financial officer have reached a settlement to drop the US$5.64 billion suit.
The civil proceedings are part of a broader effort by 1MDB to recover billions of dollars allegedly siphoned from the fund. The company has pursued claims against former executives and directors, as well as individuals linked to the scandal, in courts in Malaysia and abroad.
Hazem’s testimony is expected to continue, with his answers likely to shed further light on the decision-making processes at 1MDB during the period when the alleged fraud occurred. The court will also weigh the credibility of his denials against documentary evidence and testimony from other witnesses.
The case remains one of several legal avenues through which Malaysian authorities are attempting to recoup losses tied to the 1MDB scandal. Observers will be watching whether Hazem’s testimony changes the trajectory of the civil claims or prompts further scrutiny of the fund’s former leadership.
