1MDB audit report given to me was not a draft - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The defence in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) audit report tampering trial contended that there were never two versions of the 1MDB audit report, but merely a 'draft' and a 'final' copy.

Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah made the contention while cross-examining the 12th prosecution witness, former Auditor-General Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad.

Madinah, 66, who was the auditor-general from Feb 20, 2017, to Feb 22, 2019, was questioned by the lawyer whether there was actually two versions of the 1MDB audit report, to which she answered yes, namely the original and the amended version.

Muhammad Shafee: There is the final (audit) report, but there was another report that became a draft, which is the one that was given to you in confidence (by NAD deputy director, Datuk Nor Salwani Muhammad).

Madinah: The one given to me was not the draft but it was the report that was supposed to be tabled to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) two days later.

Previously, Madinah had testified that she had also been told by Nor Salwani that the 1MDB Audit Report had been printed twice, in early 2016 and on March 2 of the same year.

"The report that was printed in early 2016 is the final report to be presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Feb 24, 2016. However, the content of this report had been changed by dropping some paragraphs in it through a meeting chaired by the then Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, on Feb 24, 2016," she added.

However, Muhammad Shafee said the witness may have gotten the wrong concept when she deemed the earlier report printed in early 2016 was the first version.

Muhammad Shafee: I'm suggesting to you, that when corrections are made on a printed copy with watermarks, and then the corrected version is printed again for submission...the earlier one is deemed to be a draft.

Madinah: It could be so.

Najib, 68, is charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any action being taken against him, while Arul Kanda, 45, is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report, to protect Najib from being subjected to action.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister's Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Federal Territory of Putrajaya between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.

Both of them were charged under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The trial before Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA