Did PMO communication justify believing Jho Low on the 1MDB deal?

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PMO Communication Provided Basis for Believing Jho Low on 1MDB Deal

Former 1MDB CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi stated that early communication with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) gave him reason to believe information provided by Jho Low regarding a proposed US$2.5 billion joint venture ceremony with PetroSaudi International Ltd (PSI). While Shahrol Azral acknowledged that all information about the signing ceremony originated from Jho Low and that he accepted it as true, he also admitted to not pursuing the matter further and lacking documentation to confirm the ceremony's occurrence.
Initial Communication with PMO

Shahrol Azral recalled that during the early stages of preparing for the proposed joint venture ceremony between 1MDB and PetroSaudi International Ltd in 2009, there was initial communication involving Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin. Amhari Efendi was serving as a special officer to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the time. This engagement with a figure connected to the PMO provided Shahrol Azral with a basis for his belief in the veracity of Jho Low's statements concerning the impending ceremony.
Reliance on Jho Low's Information

The testimony indicated that the entirety of the information Shahrol Azral received concerning the signing ceremony originated from Jho Low. He confirmed that he accepted this information as true, suggesting a significant reliance on Jho Low's accounts. Despite this reliance, Shahrol Azral admitted during cross-examination that he did not conduct further investigations into the matter.
Lack of Documentation and Unfulfilled Ceremony

Crucially, Shahrol Azral conceded that he possessed no documentation that confirmed the signing ceremony was indeed scheduled to take place. This lack of corroborating evidence is significant, especially considering that reports from 1MDB's criminal trial involving Najib indicated that the signing ceremony never actually occurred, despite it being the purported reason for the deal's expedited execution.
Civil Suit Context

The statements were made during Shahrol Azral's testimony as a witness in a civil suit filed by 1MDB and its subsidiaries. The suit, initiated on May 7, 2021, names Najib and several other former 1MDB officials as defendants, accusing them of breach of trust, breach of statutory duty, abuse of power, and conspiracy to misappropriate 1MDB funds.

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Did PMO communication justify believing Jho Low on the 1MDB deal?

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