Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is seen at the Kuala Lumpur High Court December 10, 2019. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he bought a US$130,625 (RM466,330) Chanel watch for Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to appease his family who were unhappy their vacation to Hawaii, US in 2014 was cut short for him to resume work.

Testifying as the first defence witness in his own RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial, the former prime minister said he needed to return to the country early due to the massive floods during the annual monsoonal seaon in December that year.

By coincidence, today is Rosmah’s birthday. — Picture by Hari Anggara

“Throughout the whole time (in Hawaii) I was following the east coast flooding development and I felt compelled to return home; that is why I cut my vacation short. They (my family) were very sad I had to leave them.

“Coincidentally, it was close to my wife’s birthday and that time they felt disappointed with my decision (to return home).

“Therefore, I made the decision to buy something to placate my family and buy something my wife chose,” he told the High Court.

The 2014-2015 floods are considered the worst to have hit Malaysia in decades, costing millions of losses and several deaths.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak (left), inspects the flood situation in Kelantan at the Yahya Petra bridge in Kota Baru, Kelantan, December 27, 2014 — Bernama pic

Yesterday, Najib testified that the watch he bought his AmBank credit card linked to his personal account was a birthday present for Rosmah.

Rosmah was born on December 10, 1951 and today is her birthday.

Najib later stressed that the watch was purely a personal purchase and not for other matters.

Najib is on trial over seven charges related to SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Three are for criminal breach of trust over a total RM42 million of SRC International funds while entrusted with its control as the prime minister and finance minister then, three more are for laundering the RM42 million, and the last is for abusing the same positions for self-gratification of the same sum.