Company allegedly helped by Wan Saiful obtained four-star rating from CIDB, court told

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court hearing the corruption and money laundering case involving Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (pic) regarding the Jana Wibawa project was told on Tuesday (March 26) that the Nepturis Sdn Bhd had obtained a four-star rating from the Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).

CIDB assistant engineer Siti Nooraishah Zainal Abidin, 36, said a letter in the name of Nepturis Sdn Bhd was released from CIDB's Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) after the company applied for the Contractor Capability and Capability Evaluation Programme (Score).

"The CIMS system will issue an application reference number for the Score application process. As a result of a review of the documents uploaded by Nepturis, the company has obtained a four-star rating.

"I confirm that I have seen CIDB's Score letter in the name of Nepturis Sdn Bhd dated Oct 26, 2021," said the fifth prosecution witness during the examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Amirah Muhammad Ali.

Nepturis is a company allegedly assisted by Wan Saiful in obtaining the Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Highway Interchange project from the Malaysian government for RM232 million.

When Siti Amirah asked why a company gets a star rating from CIDB, ​​Siti Nooraishah said it is to recognise contractors who have the ability and capability.

She said CIDB made the assessment based on the documents uploaded by the contractor or company, including business performance, financial ability, technical ability, business management, project management, best practices and management ability.

When lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, who represents Wan Saiful, asked whether the score given by CIDB is a condition for a contractor company to bid for a project from the Malaysian government, the witness replied that it is up to the client.

According to Siti Nooraishah, in addition to assessing a company's ability and capability, CIDB will also check the status of a contractor company and whether it is a bumiputra or not.

The witness said the status of the Nepturis company was not stated in the company's Certificate of Achievement, but the information could be in the CIMS system.

Wan Saiful, 47, is charged with soliciting bribes from Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement for him to assist Nepturis Sdn Bhd in obtaining the RM232mil Central Spine Road: Sertik to the East Coast Expressway Intersection project.

He was also charged with receiving RM6,962,694.54 in cash via a CIMB Bank Berhad account owned by his company WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd, from Nepturis’ Maybank Islamic Berhad account as a fee for assisting the company in obtaining the project’s acceptance letter.

The Tasek Gelugor MP allegedly committed both offences at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana here in April 2022 and at the CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku branch between July 8 and Sept 30, 2022.

He is also facing 18 charges of money laundering involving RM5.59mil, including transferring and using the illegal proceeds to pay for a Ford Ranger, payments to the National Sports Council, and transfers to several company accounts, including one owned by Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd.

All the offences were allegedly committed at the CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku branch here between Aug 12 and Nov 13, 2022, under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

The hearing before Judge Rozina Ayob continues on April 29. – Bernama