Ismee, who was the chairman from 2011 to 2014, said he read a news report claiming that SRC International had failed to submit its accounts for 2013 to the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).

“I shouted at Nik (Faisal) because I had signed a resolution telling the management to close the accounts.

“I spent two to three weeks, every day in the office, (trying) to close and submit the accounts. I was more like an account executive than a chairman.

“We managed to do it (in the end),” he told the court hearing SRC International’s lawsuit against former prime minister Najib Razak and Nik Faisal.

SRC International is suing the duo for wrongfully receiving company property, and dishonestly and wrongfully conspiring to convert company property to their own use.

A judgment in default of appearance has been entered against Nik Faisal.

The suit originally included Ismee, and fellow former directors Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, Azhar Osman Khairuddin, Suboh Yasin and Che Abdullah @ Rashidi Che Omar as co-defendants.

SRC International later dropped the case against them. However, they were added as third parties by Najib.

Farhan Shafee, appearing for Najib, asked whether Ismee had raised the matter with the former prime minister.

Ismee said he would only have brought it up to Najib in the event they failed to close and submit the financial statements.

“That was what I thought of doing,” he added.

The hearing continues before Justice Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin on June 10.