Former 1MDB CEO denies treating Jho Low as 'prime minister'

In a recent testimony at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi denied treating fugitive businessman Jho Low as the country's prime minister. The 56-year-old testified as the fourth plaintiff witness in 1MDB's USD5.64 billion civil suit against several individuals, including former officials and executives involved in the 1MDB scheme.

When questioned by lawyer G.K. Ganesan, representing former 1MDB investment director Kelvin Tan Kay Jin, Shahrol Azral stated that he communicated with then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak through informal channels, specifically via Low. However, he denied treating Low as the Malaysian prime minister, stating that he disagreed with the notion.

The civil suit, filed on May 7, 2021, accuses the defendants of breach of trust, breach of statutory duty, abuse of power, and conspiracy to misappropriate 1MDB funds. The trial is currently ongoing.

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