No business talk, only casual lunch with Jho Low at five-star hotel - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR: A witness today told the High Court here that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low attended a luncheon at a five-star hotel with a few bankers and Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) representatives, 13 years ago.

Former AmInvestment Bank Berhad managing director Kok Tuck Cheong, 67, said he was also introduced to Jho Low by the director of relationship banking of AmBank, Chan Wan Seong during the said luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel here in 2009.

"There were about five or seven other people around. There was never any formal introduction," he said, adding that Jho Low did not say much.

The 40th prosecution witness said this during cross-examination by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah at the former premier's corruption and money laundering trial involving RM2.3 billion belonging to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Muhammad Shafee asked if only members of the bank were present, Kok replied that there were also some members of TIA present. TIA was later renamed as 1MDB.

When asked if former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi was also there, the witness answered in the negative.

Muhammad Shafee: This luncheon has got to do with the issuance of the Islamic Medium-Term Notes (IMTN) (for TIA)?

Kok: You know, there was not any serious business discussions took...it was just a casual lunch.

The witness also said that he did not remember who paid the bill for the luncheon.

"Could be the bank or the other side (TIA), but certainly not me," said Kok.

To another question whether he knew that Jho Low at one time was regarded as advisor of TIA, the witness said his name surfaced but never was there a concrete statement of fact.

Muhammad Shafee: Officially he was on board as TIA advisor?

Kok: Not when I met him.

Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion belonging to 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA