by TMR/ pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

FORMER Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa yesterday revealed explosive details related to the sacking of then deputy prime minister (DPM) and attorney general (AG) in 2015.

Ali Hamsa told the High Court yesterday that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (picture), who was the DPM then, was sacked from his post in July 2015 for allegedly raising too many questions about 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The former highest civil servant also told the court that former AG Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was removed from his position in July the same year as PM Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak had lost trust in his chief legal advisor, according to Bernama.

Ali, 64, said Muhyiddin kicked up a fuss on 1MDB in the Cabinet before he was sacked.

“When we sit in Cabinet meetings, we see arguments going on. It was mostly one-sided, Muhyiddin made all the noises in Cabinet; we know something is coming up,” he said, according to the national news agency.

Muhyiddin, who is now home minister, quit Umno after the sacking and created Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The party, with its partners in Pakatan Harapan, ended Barisan Nasional’s 61-year rule of the country in last year’s general election.

Ali is the prosecution’s fourth witness on the second day of Najib and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy’s trial on alleged tampering of 1MDB’s final audit report.

Ali was questioned by lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram. The court was presided by Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan. Najib’s defence team will have a chance to cross-examine Ali on his statements.

Queried on what happened to Muhyiddin after he asked those questions, Ali said: “I think he was removed from the post.”

The country’s chief secretary sits at Cabinet meetings to represent the administration.

Najib has claimed innocence of the document tampering charges.

On Abdul Gani’s removal from his post, Ali said “there was no trust on him by the PM”.

“Actually, when I handed over (the) letter to Abdul Gani, telling him he would be released from the AG’s post, he said he expected this to happen.”

It was a two-stage process to sack Abdul Gani. First, a letter informing Yang di-Pertuan Agong of the termination of the AG’s post, followed by a letter from Najib addressed to Abdul Gani, informing him of the termination.

“I was called by Najib to sign the letter and give it to Abdul Gani and tell him to vacate his post, and (not to) take any documents out of the office,” Ali said.

The media had reported then that Abdul Gani was preparing to file criminal charges against Najib in relation to 1MBD. But it was never confirmed that such charges had been prepared by Abdul Gani.

Najib has been charged of using his position to make amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was tabled to the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any action against him.

If found guilty, he could face a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Arul Kanda is charged with abetting Najib in making said amendments to the report. — TMR