KUALA LUMPUR: A bank finance manager told the High Court here that a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) was raised to Bank Negara Malaysia after "tens of millions" were deposited into Bersatu's bank account.
Lee Hui Nee, 58, who is attached to CIMB Bank, said some RM19.3mil was channelled into the account in 28 transactions between Aug 24, 2021 and Nov 11, 2022.
She said that out of the total, RM4mil was deposited in four transactions by an individual, Azman Yusoff, and RM1mil was deposited by Mamfor Sdn Bhd.
She added that the current account, which is still active, was opened under the name "Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia."
"The account was registered as 'investor' and the nature of business was listed as 'political party'," the witness said.
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According to Lee, the applicants for the account opening were Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Kamarulzaman Habibur Rahman, Anina Saadudin and Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
On Dec 1, 2020, the account holders' names were changed to Muhyiddin, Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Datuk Mohamed Salleh Bajuri.
Lee, who was under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on Tuesday (March 10), told the court that an STR was raised whenever the bank catches a "red flag" with accounts.
"It is the bank's duty to then submit the STR to the central bank," she said.
DPP Wan Shaharuddin: What does BNM do after the STR is submitted?
Lee: Our job is only to submit the STR. We don't know what happens next.
DPP Wan Shaharuddin: Does the bank have any power to obstruct money coming into Bersatu's CIMB bank account?
Lee: The bank does not have the power to stop an incoming transaction.
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When asked about the amount of money that entered Bersatu's account, Lee said she could not remember the exact figure but it was "tens of millions".
DPP Wan Shaharuddin: So in this case, was there an STR raised?
Lee: Yes, there was.
DPP Wan Shaharuddin: Did BNM respond?
Lee: I don't know.
To a question by DPP Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Lee said the bank system would raise a red flag when an account has a high-volume transaction inconsistent with the account profile.
"Depending on the red flag, the bank branch will review the account and file an STR," she added.
DPP Mahadi: What made you think the incoming money was inconsistent with the account profile?
Lee: Because of the frequency (of the transactions) and the high amount.
DPP Mahadi: Between 2020 and 2022, at any given time, did any of the four authorised persons (Muhyiddin, Ahmad Faizal, Hamzah, Mohamed Salleh) tell the bank to stop the incoming transactions?
Lee: No.
When cross-examined by Muhyiddin's lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, Lee said she was called up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) several times for the investigation into the Jana Wibawa project.
Amer: At any point, did the MACC officers ask you to show any STR against Bersatu?
Lee: No.
Amer: So they asked you many questions in court today about STR but during the probe they didn't bother to ask you about STR?
Lee: Agreed.
The witness also agreed that she did not have knowledge of what transpired after an STR was lodged.
Amer: Is there a possibility that BNM did not find anything wrong with the STR issued by your branch?
Lee: I wouldn't know.
The hearing continues before Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin on Wednesday (March 11).
Muhyiddin, 78, who was then prime minister and Bersatu president, faces four counts of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM225.3mil in relation to the Jana Wibawa Project from three companies and an individual for the party.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister's Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021.
He also faces three counts of receiving proceeds from illegal activities totalling RM200mil which were deposited into Bersatu's bank accounts between February 2021 and July 2022.
