Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi said he suspected he was forced out after raising his concerns, and transferred to Pemandu's Oil & Gas and Energy and Financial Services portfolio in 2013.
He added that Najib's actions were consistent and in line with Jho Low's action plan, a pattern that continued until Shahrol was removed. "However, I stayed on the 1MDB board of directors at the time, with Jho Low explaining it was to help manage optics," he said. "After the furore regarding the 1MDB issue between 2015 and 2016, the 1MDB board unanimously suggested Najib resign, though we were ordered to stay on until a new board was elected in 2016," he said.