KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the High Court that only fools would believe he would jeopardise his 40-year political career for a US$20 million kickback, the High Court heard today.
The former prime minister said this in his witness statement in his defence against all power abuse and money laundering charges involving RM2.3 billion of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) funds.
Najib said the contention raised by the prosecution was nothing more than a desperate move to implicate him in the global-scale financial debacle.
The former Pekan member of parliament claimed that the real masterminds behind the financial scandal remain at large.
He accused fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, and former PetroSaudi International Ltd (PSI) chief executive Tarek Obaid of siphoning hundreds of millions from 1MDB funds to acquire properties, jewellery and other luxury items.
"The prosecution is alleging that, as prime minister and finance minister, I would jeopardise my 40-year political career and reputation for US$9,999,877 on two separate occasions.
"This is a desperate allegation that only fools would believe," he said before presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Najib said the prosecution's narrative was flawed and failed to explain why two Saudi princes — Prince Faisal Turki Al-Saud and Prince Saud Abdulaziz Al-Saud — would supposedly pay him bribes.
"The prosecution's narrative is wrong because it does not clarify the alleged interests of these two princes in bribing me.
"That said, the narrative paints me as the most 'selfless and generous conspirator' in history," he said.
Najib claimed the prosecution's case implied he allowed others to enrich themselves while he received a small portion years later, highlighting that Low allegedly received US$547 million, Tarek Obaid US$120 million, and PSI director Patrick Mahoney US$33 million.
"This claim is absurd and defies logic. The truth is clear and supported by the Swiss court's findings, which conclusively identified Obaid, Mahoney, and Jho Low as the individuals responsible for misappropriating these funds," he added.
Najib, 70, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.