KUALA LUMPUR: Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) director Tan Sri Ismee Ismail told the High Court today that he was restless when he was called by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2018 to give a statement on the troubled sovereign wealth fund.
He said this under cross-examination by Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lawyer Datuk Hariharan Tara Singh in the former prime minister's trial over the misappropriation of RM2.28 billion funds from 1MDB.
The 13th prosecution witness said when he was called by the anti-graft agency that year, he felt a lot of uncertainties.
"There were all sorts of feelings during that time because personally I was trying to figure out what it was. I was worried.
"I was not pressured by anyone, it's difficult to describe the feeling and I felt restless, I felt scared because at that time I was wondering what was happening," he said.
He said the MACC had never threatened to initiate a criminal or civil proceeding against him or had promised him anything in return in order to get him to give evidence against Najib.
He said he was not put under pressure by the MACC after he had given his statement in 2018 and that the previous statements recorded with the commission in 2015 and 2016 were consistent.
The witness maintained that the statements that he gave to the MACC were the truth and based on facts.
"What I did was I gave them the true facts of the case whether its against him (Najib) or not, I wouldn't be the judge of that," he said.
Ismee said he was aware that 1MDB had filed a lawsuit against him and the other directors and senior managements of the company which contained serious allegations.
Asked if he felt betrayed when the government through 1MDB initiated the civil action against him, he said he was extremely sad about it.
The suit however, has been withdrawn against him.
Hariharan: Do you agree that you were unhappy when you became aware of the civil suit that was initiated against you?
Ismee: Yes.
Hariharan: I put to you that you became very unhappy because you were promised by the MACC that if you give evidence against Najib and cooperate, there will be no civil suit against you?
Ismee: No, there were no promises made.
He said however, when the investigations into the 1MDB case came about, he was worried about the safety and security of his family and that of his own.
The proceedings today was adjourned early as Ismee was not feeling well.
The trial before judge Datuk Collin Sequerah continues on Jan 5.
Najib, 68, is charged with 25 counts of abuse of power and money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB funds which were deposited into his accounts between 2011 and 2014.
He faces 20 years' jail and fine, if convicted.
