Ismee Ismail, who chaired the former subsidiary of the state investment arm, 1MDB, from 2011 to 2014, told the court Najib never summoned him to the latter’s office for purportedly failing to discharge his duties.

Nor did Najib question his purported failure to discharge his duties as the then 1MDB director, Ismee said.

Ismee also told the court he had no reservations over Najib’s written instructions, as SRC International shareholder, to the company. This was in response to a question by lawyer Chong Yik Loong, who is representing former director Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi.

Ismee said there was no reason to distrust Najib’s instructions.

“I won’t refuse (Najib’s instructions). (The reason) it’s simple. I respect him and I believe he was trying to do his best for the country and SRC International.”

SRC International is suing Najib and former CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil for wrongfully receiving company property, and dishonestly and wrongfully conspiring to convert company property to their own use.

A judgment in default of appearance has been entered against Nik Faisal.

The suit originally included Ismee, Shahrol and former directors Azhar Osman Khairuddin, Suboh Yasin, Che Abdullah @ Rashidi Che Omar as co-defendants.

SRC International later dropped the case against them. However, they were added as third parties by Najib.

Separately, Ismee told the court that 1MDB directors never spoke about how they wanted to seek funds for SRC International.

He added that it was not 1MDB directors who came up with the idea of setting up SRC International – which was meant to undertake coal and uranium exploration.

“It (proposal to set up SRC International) was tabled by Nik Faisal,” Ismee said, adding that 1MDB directors were also unaware how the management came up with the idea to seek RM3 billion from the government as a grant to set up SRC International.

The hearing continues before Justice Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin on June 13.