HomeNewsBeritaBusinessLifestyleOpinionWorldSportsPropertyEducationCarzillaGalleryVideosAccelerator

I hired external PR firms to reach wider audience, Najib tells court

-

The former prime minister says mainstream media could not effectively communicate all government policies to the public.

0
Shares
Total Views: 1
najib razak
Najib Razak is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over RM2.28 billion deposited in his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014. (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA:
Najib Razak told the High Court in his 1MDB trial today that he used the services of external public relations firms to convey government policies to a wider audience.

The former prime minister said that between 2011 and 2014, payments were made to several firms:

  • RM22 million to Semarak Konsortium Satu Sdn Bhd for speechwriting services;
  • RM2 million to Orb Solutions Sdn Bhd for managing his social media; and
  • RM246,000 to Lim Soon Peng, an intermediary to two companies managing Najib’s Chinese-language Facebook page and publications targeting the Chinese community.

Cheques for these amounts were issued directly from Najib’s accounts.

“I needed a different platform to send messages (on government policies) to the public,” he said, adding that mainstream media alone could not communicate all of the government policies to the people.

Deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar then questioned Najib about whether the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) could perform similar tasks.

Najib told the court that social media management required expertise beyond what PMO could offer.

Kamal: How about speechwriting? Can’t PMO officers draft speeches for you?

Najib: I need those with high proficiency in English. It is hard to find (among civil servants).

Najib also denied that the RM246,000 paid to Lim was intended to boost his personal image within the Chinese community.

The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited in his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram

Subscribe to our newsletter and get news delivered to your mailbox.