Key 1MDB witness Nor Salwani Muhammad praised by Malaysians for ‘pencil case’ recording
- The former government auditor was asked to leave a meeting where officials were discussing a 1MDB audit report
- Having been asked to take the minutes of the meeting, Nor Salwani left a recorder on in a pencil case, and later gave the audio clip to the new auditor-general
Former government auditor Nor Salwani Muhammad, 52, said yesterday that she had taped a 2016 discussion between senior government officials and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, although she maintained that she had not intended to do so by design.
The conversation included 1MDB officials, the former Chief Secretary to the Government Ali Hamsa, and members of the National Audit Department including former Auditor-General Ambrin Buang, she said.
Her testimony earned her strong praise by Malaysian social media users, some of whom described her as a “patriot”.
“Nor Salwani Muhammad risked 7 years jail for violating the [Official Secrets Act], enforced disappearance and assassination, all for withholding critical information she hoped would one day help see justice served,” said Twitter user @RohanBeg. “She didn’t even know that [former ruling coalition] BN would lose. Odds were against her, but she persevered.”