Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak admitted in court today that he had known 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho and he believed that the man could ease Malaysia's investment dealings in the Middle East.

Testifying in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur in his SRC International criminal trial, Najib said Low, who is better known as Jho Low, had presented himself as someone who was influential in the Middle East...