KUALA LUMPUR: The company that secured a RM141mil contract to build the Klang Utara police headquarters gave RM1mil to Bersatu after it procured the deal under the Jana Wibawa programme, the High Court heard.
Businessman Lian Tan Chuan, 55, testified on Tuesday (July 28) that he believed former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had a role in helping Nepturis Sdn Bhd, a company he established, secure the project under the programme.
Lian, who is Metrasys Sdn Bhd director, said Nepturis won the pre-qualification tender for the project on Jan, 12, 2022, following the issuance of a letter of acceptance by the Public Works Department (JKR).
"On Jan 16, 2022, I instructed Rizman (Mohd Rizman Akum Khan) to issue a cheque of RM1mil from Nepturis, payable to Bersatu. I then handed the cheque to Datuk Azman (Yusoff) at his office, and asked him to either pass it to any Bersatu leader or bank it in," said Lian, who is the 21st prosecution witness.
He said Azman, who is president of the Bumiputera Contractors Association and a member of the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia, had informed him that the government had approved the Jana Wibawa programme.
He said this while reading his witness statement during Muhyiddin's trial, on seven charges of abuse of power and money laundering.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on why the witness had dared to make a RM1mil contribution to Bersatu, Lian replied: "After we calculated the project's profits."
When asked by Wan Shaharuddin why he made the contribution to Bersatu, the witness said: "It was already agreed that once we received the Letter of Acceptance, we would have to make a contribution."
Wan Shaharuddin: RM1mil is a substantial amount?
Lian: Yes, very substantial, as that amount could serve as capital for a project.
Wan Shaharuddin: In this case, was the contribution to Bersatu a reward or merely a donation?
Lian: I consider it as consideration.
Wan Shaharuddin: Distinguish between the meaning of a donation and consideration.
Lian: A donation means giving without receiving anything in return. It is unconditional and given voluntarily. Consideration, however, is given to obtain something in return.
"I believe that if my company's application letter had not been supported by Tan Sri Muhyiddin and processed by the Prime Minister's Office, my company would not have passed the Finance Ministry evaluation or been awarded the project by JKR.
"When applying for the Klang Utara IPD project, I engaged Adam Radlan to obtain Tan Sri Muhyiddin's supporting minutes for my company's application," he said.
On his meeting with Adam, Lian said Azman had introduced them at Publika in December 2020, and told him that Adam had close ties with Muhyiddin and could help his company secure projects.
The witness said Adam, who also played golf with Muhyiddin, had asked him to prepare the application letter to the then prime minister for the project on a pre-qualification basis, along with the company profile. The letter was to be submitted to Adam to obtain the supporting minutes from Muhyiddin.
"I had asked Aliza (Abd Malek) to prepare five pre-qualification application letters for the Klang Utara IPD project. The letters were for Nepturis, Fastcoll Corporation Sdn Bhd, MZ Hakujaya Sdn Bhd, Permata Rebana Sdn Bhd and JM Letrik Sdn Bhd, all dated Feb 1, 2021," he said.
He also informed the court that the letters were sent to Muhyiddin to obtain his support to participate in the pre-qualification tender for the construction project.
Muhyiddin, 79, who was then prime minister and Bersatu president, was charged with four counts of abuse of power for allegedly soliciting RM232.5mil in bribes for the political party from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and Azman in connection with the Jana Wibawa project.
He is accused of committing the offence at the Prime Minister's Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra, Putrajaya between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021, under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The Pagoh MP also faces three charges of receiving RM200mil in unlawful proceeds from Bukhary Equity, which were deposited into Bersatu's Ambank and CIMB Bank accounts, allegedly committed in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur between February 2021 and July 2022.
The trial before Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin resumes on Wednesday (July 29).
