Was Najib genuinely surprised by the RM42 million in his accounts?

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Najib Expressed Genuine Surprise at RM42 Million Transfer to His Accounts

Then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak appeared genuinely surprised and somewhat shocked upon learning that RM42 million had been transferred to his personal bank accounts. Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd's former managing director Datuk Dr Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman testified that Najib's reaction was one of genuine surprise when informed about the transactions. These funds originated from Ihsan Perdana, a contractor for 1Malaysia Development Berhad's (1MDB) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and were transferred in late 2014 and early 2015.
Witness Account of Najib's Reaction

Datuk Dr Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman recounted a meeting with Najib Razak where the former prime minister's surprise was evident. Dr Shamsul stated that Najib exclaimed, "Oh my God, why did you do that?" upon being told that Dr Shamsul was responsible for the transfers. Dr Shamsul described Najib's facial expression as showing complete surprise and a degree of shock, which he maintained was a genuine reaction from the then prime minister. He later clarified that the terms "surprised" and "shocked" conveyed the same sentiment regarding Najib's response.
Discovery of Fund Transfers

Dr Shamsul became aware of the RM42 million transfer into Najib's accounts through a Wall Street Journal report in July 2015. This report indicated that the funds had passed through Ihsan Perdana's account before reaching Najib's personal accounts. Although Dr Shamsul had access to Najib's phone number and could have contacted him, he did not initiate a call upon learning this information, citing being "busy with the entourage." However, Najib himself did contact Dr Shamsul.
Circumstances of the Transfer

Prior to the Wall Street Journal report, Dr Shamsul had harboured suspicions when officials from Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M), a CSR funder for Ihsan Perdana, informed him that his company's account would be used as a temporary holding account for RM42 million. He was told the money would need to be transferred out to a "private account." YR1M officials cited instructions from higher-ups for these transfers, though Dr Shamsul was unaware of their identities. Despite his suspicions and lack of clarity on the money's source or the recipient's identity, Dr Shamsul authorised the transfers, documenting them as CSR purposes.
Confirmation of Fund Origin

Dr Shamsul confirmed that the RM42 million was indeed connected to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of 1MDB. He clarified that these specific transfers were distinct from other money movements associated with 1MDB. He later agreed that Ihsan Perdana had been utilised for the transfer of "wrongful money" and acknowledged that he should not have proceeded with the transaction given his suspicions and the absence of supporting documentation, which was unusual for Ihsan Perdana's typical CSR payments.

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Was Najib genuinely surprised by the RM42 million in his accounts?

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