Did Najib directly pressure KPMG regarding the 2013 audit?

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Najib's Interaction with KPMG Regarding the 2013 1MDB Audit

KPMG's managing director, Datuk Johan Idris, testified that while the former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak expressed a desire for 1MDB's 2013 financial statements to be signed off by December 31, 2013, the minutes of their meeting did not explicitly detail direct pressure being placed by Najib on KPMG. However, Johan had previously described Najib's statement as akin to an "order" and stated that both 1MDB's management and board had informed him they felt pressured by the company's sole shareholder to have KPMG sign the accounts.
Najib's Stated Desire for Account Sign-off

During a meeting on December 15, 2013, Najib informed KPMG representatives, including Datuk Johan Idris, of his wish for the 2013 1MDB accounts to be signed off by the end of that year. Johan did not provide a direct commitment to this timeline, explaining that he could not agree to a specific date without receiving all necessary information. This interaction occurred after 1MDB had failed to provide KPMG with sufficient information to verify the value of its US$2.318 billion investment, a key reason why KPMG had not yet signed off on the audit.
Claims of Pressure from 1MDB Management and Board

Johan Idris testified that representatives from 1MDB's management and board had communicated to him that they were experiencing pressure from the company's sole shareholder. This alleged pressure was related to the desire for KPMG to sign off on the 2013 financial statements, despite the lack of verified information regarding the investment's value. Johan stated that KPMG had engaged with the shareholder to seek clarification, in line with their professional duty to verify underlying assets.
Defence's Interpretation of Meeting Minutes

Under cross-examination by Najib's lead defence lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Johan was questioned specifically on whether the minutes of the December 15 meeting indicated any direct pressure from the prime minister on KPMG. Based solely on these minutes, Johan agreed that there was no explicit statement of pressure. Shafee also suggested that the shareholder's role was not to micromanage the company, a point to which Johan agreed, emphasizing that the duty to ensure proper valuation and auditing rests with the company's senior management and board.
Termination of KPMG's Audit Services

Ultimately, KPMG did not sign off on 1MDB's 2013 financial statements due to the continued lack of required information. On December 31, 2013, 1MDB's sole shareholder, Minister of Finance (Incorporated) or MOF Inc, terminated KPMG as the company's auditor with immediate effect. Deloitte KassimChan was subsequently appointed as the replacement auditor.

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Did Najib directly pressure KPMG regarding the 2013 audit?

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