Lead Deputy Public Prosecutor in the trial, Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, said he intends to initiate the proceedings because an article quoting Najib in March contained serious allegations.
Riza, who is the stepson of the accused, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, will be added to the witness list.
"This is to avoid a situation where our client may be put in a compromised position when he takes the witness stand," counsel Datuk N Sivananthan told the High Court today.
Responding to deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Datuk V Sithambaram's suggestion that the running of SRC was a miserable failure, Najib said "we did not know it was so" at that time.
The document in question — labelled P530 by the court — claimed to be original by Ismee, contains Najib's instructions to SRC's board, including opening accounts at specific banks and the transfer of the company's first RM2 billion loan obtained from Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) in 2011 to banks in Switzerland.
The company ended up not developing the international financial district.
The witness said this was because all big decisions, including those pertaining to investments, required the approval of Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Ahmad Husni said 1MDB and SRC matters were off limits to him.
SRC had initially requested for a RM3.95 billion loan from KWAP in 2011. KWAP decided to only approve RM1 billion, citing the original requested amount as an 'overconcentration' of money to just one company in one industry.
Wan Abdul Aziz, 67, is the 45th prosecution witness to take the stand today and testify in the SRC trial as it enters its 35th day.
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