Datuk Seri Najib Razak arrives at the Court of Appeal, Putrajaya April 27, 2021. — Picture by Shafwan ZaidonPUTRAJAYA, April 27 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s pecuniary and personal interest in SRC International Sdn Bhd never arose when he chaired Cabinet meetings that approved two Government Guarantees for the disbursement of RM4 billion from a government pension fund, the Court of Appeal heard today.
Shafee explained that this is because the interests Najib had as a shareholder was consonant with his nominal position as the Minister of Finance Incorporated under the Finance Ministry and is not held in his capacity as a natural person. The prosecution in its rebuttal to Najib’s appeal had contended that Najib’s presence at the Cabinet meetings led to the other members of the Cabinet unable to independently deliberate on the GGs as the appellant was their superior and was presiding over theShafee also said as the sitting Prime Minister of the government at the time, Najib was merely the chairman of the Cabinet or “a first among equals”.
Shafee argued that Najib’s interest was also not clearly spelled out in the abuse of power charge to mount an effective defence which severely prejudiced and handicapped his client. He also pointed out how the prosecution merged the functions of the PM and the FM in Najib’s abuse of power charge, before stating that the PM is irrelevant to the aforementioned charge with the sole exception of being the chairman of the Cabinet meeting.