Testifying under cross-examination in his 1MDB trial, the former prime minister said he was “not comfortable” with news stories about Low’s ostentatious lifestyle.

“He kept saying that he was doing it for Sheikh Mansour,” said Najib, referring to Sheikh Mansour Zayed Sultan Al Nahyan, an Emirati prince.

Najib said he was introduced to Low by his stepson Riza Aziz. He said Riza and Low were classmates, and that Riza also knew Low’s brother, Taek Szen.

Najib however denied that he became beholden to Low. He said he knew Low had close ties with Middle Eastern royal families. “I was using him to tap his (Middle Eastern) connection,” said Najib.

The former prime minister also denied seeking Sheikh Mansour’s assistance after the US Department of Justice announced that it was bringing a civil forfeiture action against Riza, which was eventually settled.

He said he sent his former special officer, Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, to Abu Dhabi to talk to Sheikh Mansour in an attempt to resolve 1MDB’s debt to IPIC.

‘I didn’t get Bakke’s text’

Separately, Najib denied receiving any SMS from ex-1MDB chairman Bakke Salleh about the company’s state of affairs.

Bakke, who resigned in 2009, previously told the court that he had informed Najib via text that 1MDB’s management was going against instructions from the company’s board of directors. Bakke said Najib never replied to the message.

In court, Najib said Bakke should have met him personally to explain his resignation.

“He knows me and I wish he had (come to) see me,” he added.

The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited in his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.