KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told the High Court here on Dec 9 that he gave his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, a watch priced at RM466,330.11 for her birthday in December 2014.
Najib, 66, said he paid for the watch using his credit card at a Chanel boutique in Honolulu, in Hawaii, on Dec 22, 2014.
He said this when making his defence on seven counts of misappropriation of RM42 mil in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds during examination-in-chief by his counsel, Rahmat Hazlan.
The Pekan MP also told the court that he spent RM127,017.46 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok in January 2015, which was paid through his credit card, when he was in Thailand on a private vacation.
“Although it was a private vacation, I also took the opportunity to meet with my Thai colleague, Prayut Chan-o-Cha, to discuss how the Thai government can help us in addressing the floods in Malaysia,’ he said, adding that the amount included RM120,000 for his accommodation, as well as that of his support staff, and other unexpected expenses.
He said the transaction at the Shangri-La Hotel was made after his visit to Kota Bharu, Kelantan, to check on the flood situation there, and then proceeded to Bangkok for a holiday.
Najib said he had the right to make the claim for the expenses incurred from the government as he was working during the vacation.
“But I chose to bear all the expenses on my own since I do not want to complicate matters,” he added.
On the RM3,282,734.16 spent at a jeweller’s shop in Sardinia, Italy, on Aug 8, 2014, Najib said it was for purchase of jewellery as a gift to a wife of a Middle East dignitary.
Last Nov 11, the High Court ordered Najib to enter his defence on seven charges of misappropriating RM42 mil in SRC International funds, comprising three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of power in relation to the SRC funds.
The hearing before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues. – Bernama
