LIVE | The seventh day of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's criminal trial involving SRC International Sdn Bhd takes place at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.

• 'Now the rakyat know which gov't is truly cruel' - Najib
• Court to resume at 9am tomorrow
• Najib-funded Chinese media aimed to provide more 'objectivity'
• RM238k for Ah Jib Gor FB page, Chinese Weekly
• Najib gave RM240k to news portal M'sian Digest
• Witness can't see Najib
• Upko spent RM1m on CSR activities
• 'Najib's adviser wanted to know why Chinese appear anti-gov't'
• 'Should I continue looking at Najib?' asks witness
• RM300k spent on analyses of Chinese media reports for PMO
• RM1m used for Penang Umno welfare initiatives
• Penang Umno secretary confirms RM1m received by comms unit
• Najib arrives at court
• Proceedings delayed until 2.30pm

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6pm - Thank you for following our live report today.

Reporting by Hidir Reduan and Hariz Mohd. Photographs by Lim Huey Teng. Social media updates by Ewe Linq Yenn.

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'Now the rakyat know which gov't is truly cruel' - Najib

5.50pm - Despite being in the midst of his SRC International trial, former premier Najib Abdul Razak manages to find time to troll the Pakatan Harapan government on Facebook.

He takes a dig at today’s Federal Court decision in which lawyer Arun Kasi was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment, on top of an RM40,000 fine for contempt.

“Has a lawyer in 'Malaysia lama' (old Malaysia) ever been sent to prison for the archaic offence of 'scandalising the judiciary'?” he posted on Facebook 15 minutes ago.

His question echoes that of lawyer Shanmuga K, who tweeted the question in protest of Arun’s sentence.

Najib adds: “Not as long as I have been prime minister.

“They (critics) repeatedly accuse BN of being cruel. Now the rakyat and lawyers know which government is truly cruel,” he posts on Facebook.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, who is leading the prosecution for Najib’s ongoing trial, had initiated contempt of court proceedings against Arun for comments the latter made online pertaining to another apex court judgment.

Court to resume at 9am tomorrow

4.55pm - The court has been adjourned to 9am tomorrow, earlier than expected after a twice-delayed start to today’s proceedings.

Earlier this afternoon, Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali had told the prosecution and defence teams that today's hearing might have to go beyond 5pm as the prosecution had prepared five witnesses to testify.

However, DPP V Sithambaram says they have now exhausted all witnesses, before defence counsel Harvinderjit jokingly adds that their "hunger" had made today's proceedings pass by quickly.

Sithambaram: We (have) exhausted all witnesses today.

Harvinderjit: (Because of) Our hunger! [Laughs]

Sithambaram: We did not foresee finishing all witnesses.

Nazlan then orders the trial to be adjourned to 9am tomorrow.

Najib-funded Chinese media aimed to provide more 'objectivity'

4.45pm - Witness Wong Nai Chee testifies that community leader Lim Soon Peng was engaged to connect former premier Najib Abdul Razak to the Chinese grassroots, given that the businessperson was close to the community and could rally its members for programmes such as those held during Chinese New Year.

The politician also told the court that payments to AD Network and Akademi Kewartawanan & Informasi Taima were made through Lim, as they had not wanted people to know that writers engaged by the entities were being paid by Najib.

Wong said the writers had aimed to publish more "objective" write-ups in Chinese, so as to provide a better understanding of the BN government and its policies.

He says that this is especially so as they found that prior to the 13th general election, the majority of Chinese articles online expressed negativity towards the BN-led government, "so we wanted to be more objective."

“It (our articles touched on) cost of living, some so-called bureaucracy issues, and what the people thought about the government.

“It is so that the community can better (understand) the government,” Wong tells lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

RM238k for Ah Jib Gor FB page, Chinese Weekly

4.40pm - Wong Nai Chee (below), the 17th witness, says that he received an AmIslamic cheque for RM238,914 from Najib Abdul Razak on Feb 12, 2015. The cheque was for community leader Lim Soon Peng to pay two other entities.

Wong, who served as Najib's political secretary from 2011 until May last year, tells DPP Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi that the cheque was used to pay AD Network and Akademi Kewartawanan & Informasi Taima.

"Payment was for administrative fees for the Ah Jib Gor Facebook profile (by AD Network), and for the publication of Chinese Weekly, the name of the publication," Wong says.

He says that Lim is a trusted man, and that the objective of Chinese Weekly was to inform Chinese readers.

Saifuddin: You say that the payment is for AD Network and Akademi Kewartawanan & Informasi Taima. Have they complained of lack of independence?

Wong: No, they have not.

Najib gave RM240k to news portal M'sian Digest

4.18pm - 16th witness Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who owns shares in online news portal operator Vital Spire Sdn Bhd, confirms receiving an RM240,000 cheque from Najib Abdul Razak on Jan 30, 2015, to run online news portal Malaysian Digest.

During examination-in-chief by Saifuddin, Hafiz says that the now-defunct portal covered international and local news regarding politics, entertainment, and sports, among others.

Saifuddin: On whose orders did you set up the portal?

Hafiz: On the orders of Najib. I met him alone at the Prime Minister's Office at that time. I received the cheque from him. He signed the cheque in front of me.

In 2013, Malaysian Digest denied receiving monthly allocations from the Prime Minister's Department. 

Witness can't see Najib

3.55pm - While testifying, Upko's Marcus Mojigoh sometimes refers to a "chairperson", then a "president", prompting the deputy public prosecutor to ask which is which.

Mojigoh: Datuk Seri Najib. Bossku.

Saifuddin: Do you see him in this courtroom?

Mojigoh: I can't see him.

At this point, several in the gallery point to the accused's dock. Mojigoh finally notices Najib Abdul Razak and gives the former premier a salute.

Najib returns the salute. 

Upko spent RM1m on CSR activities

3.50pm - The 15th prosecution witness is former United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) treasurer-general Marcus Mojigoh.

Upko was previously a BN component party, which left the coalition after the 14th general election. 

Mojigoh testifies that the Sabah-based party received an RM1 million cheque dated Feb 13, 2015 to conduct a corporate social responsibility project called Projek Sayang.

He says that Upko relied on funding from members' contributions, but it was not enough. As such, they had also asked for funding from those “higher up,” referring to then-BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak.

Under Projek Sayang, he adds, the Upko’s women's wing was instructed to visit and deliver contributions to bedridden patients, provide spectacles to senior citizens, and wheelchairs to those in need, among others.

The party also used Projek Sayang funding to conduct courses for the disabled and women.

'Najib's adviser wanted to know why Chinese appear anti-gov't'

3.40pm - Witness Rita Sim says the BN-led government engaged her firm in 2015 to gauge and formulate policies based on the sentiments of the Chinese community.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Sim says the government wanted to understand what issues affected the community.

She notes that Najib Abdul Razak's then adviser Jamaluddin, who was present at meetings between her staff and the PMO's Media Office in Putrajaya between late 2014 and early 2015, had wanted to know why the Chinese community appeared to be anti-government.

"The Chinese community should be the concern of all political parties, not just BN," she says. "The government of the day must derive policies for the Chinese community as the community is part of Malaysia."

Sim tells Shafee that education and the Unified Examination Certificate are among the issues that concern the community. 

She states that Chinese Malaysians also want the middle-income trap – which affects most members of the community – to be addressed.

"I am a Malaysian. I love my country, I am nationalistic," she says, adding that she is uncertain whether the government took the advice contained in the report the company submitted to it in 2015.

'Should I continue looking at Najib?' asks witness

3.25pm - Members of the public and the media inside the courtroom are in stitches after an incident occurs when witness Rita Sim is asked by DPP Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi if she can identify former premier Najib Abdul Razak in the courtroom.

Saifuddin: Have you met Datuk Seri Najib (before)?

Sim: Yes, but always in a group of people sitting together.

Saifuddin: Do you see him in court today?

Sim: Where should I look?

She is directed to look at the accused's dock, before positively identifying the former premier.

Sim: Yes, yes, I see Datuk Seri Najib.

However, after answering the DPP's question, Sim continues to look towards Najib, before asking the DPP whether she should continue looking at him.

RM300k spent on analyses of Chinese media reports for PMO

3.10pm - The prosecution calls its 14th witness, Rita Sim, who is the director of a media monitoring company named Centre for Strategic Engagement Sdn Bhd (Cense).

She testifies during examination-in-chief by DPP Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi that her company conducted media monitoring and analyses on reports by six Chinese newspapers for the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) during Dec 2014 and Jan 2015.

The company was paid a total of RM300,000 – or RM150,000 a month – for services rendered.

Read more: Najib paid RM150k a month for 'Chinese press monitoring'

This involved sending daily summaries of newspaper reports via Whatsapp to the media office of the PMO.

A cheque for RM300,000 made payable to Sim's firm was verified last week by AmBank employee Badrul Hisham Mohamad as originating from an AmBank account linked to Najib Abdul Razak.

The director explains the services her firm provided to the PMO. 

Sim: We looked at Chinese dailies every single day together with websites, and picked up issues that affect Chinese communities, and then summarised it daily, and sent it to the media office of the PMO. We sent this daily analysis to the office of the PMO.

Saifuddin: So what form was this analysis in? Hard copy, or what?

Sim: (It was) done and sent daily via WhatsApp, with weekly analysis by email. And monthly report.

Saifuddin: So the monthly report was also sent by email?

Sim: It is actually a summary of the weekly report.

Saifuddin: So you said you monitor the six Chinese newspapers?

Sim: Yes.

Saifuddin: Can you name them?

Sim: Sin Chew, Nanyang Siang Pau, China Press, Guang Ming Daily, Kwong Wah Jit Poh, and Oriental Daily.

In her testimony, Sim also mentions that her company had been engaged by Najib’s former adviser, the late Jamaluddin Jarjis (below), to provide the services mentioned to the PMO.

Saifuddin: From whom did you get this instruction to conduct this monitoring?

Sim: This instruction was given to us by the late Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis.

She also testifies that her company had received payment via its RHB Bank account, which had been opened at the bank's Bangsar branch.

RM1m used for Penang Umno welfare initiatives 

3.04pm - Witness Ahmad Sahar testifies that the RM1 million received by the Penang Umno communications unit in 2015 was used for welfare programmes to help victims of natural disasters such as flooding, among others.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the Penang Umno secretary says that the funds also went to initiatives to help the poor and needy, as well as orphans and their schooling.

"The money has also been given to mosques to carry out programmes," he adds.

Penang Umno secretary confirms RM1m received by comms unit

2.55pm - Thirteenth witness Ahmad Sahar confirms that an AmIslamic Bank cheque for RM1 million was received and banked in by the Penang Umno communications unit in 2015.

The Penang Umno secretary tells this to DPP Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi during the examination-in-chief.

AmBank employee Badrul Hisham Mohamad testified last week that the Penang Umno communications unit received an AmIslamic Bank cheque for RM1 million, dated Feb 26, 2015.

It was confirmed that the funds came from an AmBank account linked to Najib Abdul Razak.

Najib arrives at court

2.44pm - Najib Abdul Razak has arrived at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur. 

Clad in a black suit, he walks into the courtroom and sits down in the dock as Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali also enters the court to begin proceedings.

Proceedings delayed until 2.30pm

12.10pm - The hearing which was scheduled to start at noon today has been postponed to 2.30pm.

This comes after Najib Abdul Razak's defence counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed informs the court that the accused and his lawyers are still engaged in another hearing at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, and seeks the court's permission to allow the hearing to start at 2.30pm.

"The matter (at Court of Appeal) took longer than expected as the prosecution raised a preliminary objection.

"The argument (on the preliminary objection) took two hours and the main argument only started at 11am. The matter is still ongoing.

"Under the circumstances, we seek a stand down of the matter to start later (in the afternoon)," Aizuddin says.

The Court of Appeal hearing concerns Najib's bid to recuse retired Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram from leading the prosecution in the former premier's 1MDB case.

DPP Sithambaram then tells the court that the prosecution has no objection as the matter is beyond their control.

Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then asks the prosecution how many witnesses they plan to produce today, to which Sithambaram says they are prepared to produce five witnesses.

The judge also informs both parties to be prepared for proceedings this afternoon to go beyond 5pm. He then adjourns the trial until this afternoon.

This marks the second postponement in relation to today's hearing, after the defence received permission yesterday for proceedings to begin at 12pm today rather than the usual 9am, due to the Court of Appeal hearing.

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12pm - The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd, enters its seventh day at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Najib is being tried on three counts of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code, three counts of money laundering under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, and one count of abuse of power under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.

If convicted, the Pekan MP can be sentenced up to 20 years' jail, whipping and fine for the CBT charges; 20 years' jail and a fine not less than five times the amount involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher, for the abuse of power charge; and 15 years' jail, and a fine up to RM15 million or five times the amount involved, whichever is higher, for the money laundering charges.

The trial, being presided over by judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, is expected to kick off at noon today with testimonies from witnesses who said that several entities – political and non-political alike – received between thousands to millions of ringgit from AmBank accounts linked to Najib.

Last Friday, fifth prosecution witness Badrul Hisham Mohamad, the former manager of AmBank's cheque clearance centre, testified that among the 17 AmIslamic cheques cleared in 2015 include RM1 million to Upko, RM1 million to Penang Umno’s communications unit, RM300,000 to Johor Bahru Umno, and RM50,000 to Padang Serai Umno chief Asmadi Abu Talib.

Badrul Hisham confirmed this after being presented with the cheques, which were among the documents and items seized in a Bank Negara raid on the Jalan Raja Chulan branch of AmBank on July 6, 2015.

The prosecution may also call up more witnesses linked to other entities tied to the cheque transaction trail – such as Vital Spire Sdn Bhd, Zulqarnain & Co, Centre for Strategic Engagement, Lim Soon Peng, Solar Shine Sdn Bhd, and law firm Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak.

Yesterday, the court did not make any ruling on contempt against Najib’s former aide Hizatul Isham Abdul Jalil over the uploading video clips of Friday's court proceedings, which showed two witnesses testifying in court.

The clips showed ABS Trend Master Sdn Bhd owner Zulkarnain (family name not listed by the prosecution) and MOZ Malaysia Sdn Bhd owner Mohammad Zakariyya Zearat Khan testifying on their involvement in constructing a new guard post and water tank respectively at Najib's Jalan Langgak Duta residence.

Zulkarnain and Zakariyya were the sixth and seventh prosecution witnesses respectively.

ABS Trend Master and MOZ Malaysia were also cited in Badrul Hisam’s testimony as recipients of AmIslamic cheques of RM100,000 and RM56,500 respectively.

In his post accompanying the uploaded video clips, Hizatul Isham alleged that there were "problems" with the prosecution's theory that Najib had used SRC International funds for his personal benefit.

He also claimed the prosecution could not prove that Najib ordered SRC International to deposit funds into his personal bank account through two intermediaries.

Hizatul Isham insisted that the renovations were a necessity, as Najib received many visitors at the Langgak Duta home.

Defending his posting of the videos, he said that court rules only prohibit the live streaming of the proceedings or personal recordings, and that the clips originated from the court's own court recording and transcript (CRT) system.

Police are probing the uploading of the clips for illegal disclosure of information under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. It is punishable upon conviction under Section 203A of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum one-year jail sentence, an RM1 million fine, or both.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas leads the 13-person prosecution team, comprised of deputy public prosecutors Sulaiman Abdullah, V Sithambaram, Manoj Kurup, Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Donald Joseph Franklin, Suhaimi Ibrahim, Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, Sulaiman Kho Kheng Fuei, Budiman Lutfi Mohamed, Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul, and Muhammad Izzat Fauzan.

Najib will be represented by a 13-person defence team led by veteran criminal lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Other members of the defence team are former solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, Harvinderjit Singh, Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Chong Loong Men, Devanandan S Subramaniam, Farhan Read, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, Rahmat Hazlan, Muhammad Farhan Shafee, Tiara Katrina Fuad, Nur Syahirah Hanapiah, and Zahria Eleena Redza.