KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Dr Tawfiq Ayman, husband of former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, said he has never received any bribe from anyone his entire life.
Tawfiq made the declaration in the wake of the testimony by Tim Leissner, who is former Goldman Sachs Southeast Asia chairman, at the trial of his former employee, banker Roger Ng, at the Brooklyn High Court in New York yesterday.
Ng was formerly Goldman Sachs' investment chief in Malaysia.
Tawfiq issued the statement via law firm Messrs Jagjit, Ariff & Co.
Leissner, in his testimony, had spoken about bribes involving the former BNM governor's husband in relation to a joint project between PetroSaudi and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Tawfiq said he was shocked with the statements made against him by Leissner as reported in the media.
"I do not know Tim Leissner or Roger Ng and neither have I met nor ever communicated with either of them.
"I wish to categorically state that throughout my entire life I have never received any bribe from anyone.
"In view of the ongoing proceedings in New York, I have been advised not to make any further comments as it may amount to subjudice.
Tawfiq said he would be seeking legal advice on the next course of action to be taken on the statements made against him.
Based on court transcripts, Leissner made the allegations in response to questions from the prosecutor on his role in the PetroSaudi-1MDB cooperation.
Leissner was quoted as saying that he learnt via Ng that 1MDB had invested US$1 billion in the project.
Leissner also claimed that in 2009, Malaysia still had capital controls in place, which required an investment that was significant to be approved by BNM, in terms of outflow of funds.
Ng, he claimed, had told him he learnt that the money was transferred within a short period of time.
This, he alleged, was accomplished because the husband of the BNM governor at the time was given a bribe to facilitate this.
Leissner, however, had said he could not verify whether the bribe was indeed received or otherwise.
Ng had pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to money-laundering and breaking anti-corruption laws in the 1MDB issue.