He subsequently emphasised that he did not abuse his positions as prime minister, finance minister, Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and Umno president to indulge in corrupt practices as alleged.

“As BN chairman and Umno president, I did not discharge my duties as a civil servant nor acted as fiduciary as alleged by all the plaintiffs,” he said in his statement of defence.

The defence was to refute allegations by former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former vice-head of the Batu Kawan Umno division Khairuddin Abu Hassan and former member of the Langkawi Wanita Umno Anina Saadudin concerning misconduct involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The statement of defence was filed via the legal firm, Tetuan Hafarizam Wan Aisha Mubarak, at the Civil High Court registrar’s office here yesterday (June 13, 2016) and handed over to the media today.

Based on these grounds, the prime minister pointed out that in order for all the plaintiffs to initiate proceedings based on tort misfeasance in public office/or fiduciary duty, they must prove that he was a civil servant.

The three plaintiffs, Dr Mahathir, Khairuddin and Anina, must prove that they had incurred losses due to the duties carried out by the defendant, namely Najib, and that the task he was discharging had malicious intent.

Furthermore, they (plaintiffs) had no right to all the claims referred to as tort misfeasance in public service and fiduciary potential because the plaintiffs did not suffer any personal loss.

Najib also refuted every statement contained in the statement of claim as though they were traversed seriatim. As such he appealed for the claims by the plaintiffs to be rejected with costs.

– BERNAMA