Testifying at his 1MDB trial, the former prime minister said King Abdullah had expressed his intention to help him hold on to power when they met in 2010.
However, he said he was not told the value of the donation he would be receiving.
“I had in fact received remittances through the Riyadh Bank in Saudi Arabia and letters confirming this donation from King Abdullah through his royal representatives,” he said, adding that he opened a bank account with AmBank for this purpose.
Najib said businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, later told him he would be receiving an amount in the region of US$1 billion.
“Azlin told me that AmBank managing director Cheah Teck Kuang would be managing the process of opening the account,” he said, referring to his late principal private secretary, Azlin Alias.
Azlin died in a helicopter crash in April 2015.
He also said Bank Negara Malaysia and AmBank had never flagged the donation remittances as being a suspicious transaction.
‘MACC never informed me of incoming charges’
Najib said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission took his statement in 2018 as part of its investigation into 1MDB, but never informed him that he would be charged with abuse of power.
“I only knew about it after the trial started. My first charge is related to my action of obtaining the Cabinet’s consent on the government guarantee for Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) to obtain a RM5 billion loan through the issuance of Islamic medium term notes.
“I am aware that the prosecution’s allegation of abuse of office against me was because I acted in accordance with the Cabinet’s instruction in presenting this (TIA) memorandum for consideration.
“This is baffling to me because I was just carrying out my official duties,” he said.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over funds amounting to RM2.28 billion which were deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
Earlier today, his lawyer, Shafee Abdullah, informed the court they would be calling about 20 witnesses to support their defence.
The hearing before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Tuesday.