KUALA LUMPUR: A witness told the High Court Tuesday (Sept 1) that former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was at the Tropicana Golf & Country Resort to play golf on July 19, 2020.
Tropicana Golf & Country Resort Berhad (TGCRB) group head of security, S. Saravanan, 56, testified that a check on the Green Fee Tag showed Muhyiddin was among 15 players registered to play at the golf club that day.
"Based on my check of the Golf Registration System at TGCRB on July 19, 2020, there was an invoice registered under Muhyiddin's name. The invoice showed golf service fees amounting to RM0, as it was fully covered by the golf club (complimentary).
"Based on the Green Fee Tag, the players that day comprised four flights (groups) involving 15 players. They were Muhyiddin, Natan, Shahran, Syed Hafiz, Esa, Tony, Azman, Adlan, Faliq, Shahjuan, CDR Sharif, Noor Zilan, Adam, Rashid and Mr Jared Ethan Ang Tzer Shkn," he said.
The 28th prosecution witness said this when reading his witness statement during Muhyiddin's trial, in which he faces seven charges of abuse of power and money laundering involving the Jana Wibawa project.
Saravanan explained that every player must be registered and have their name entered into the Green Fee Tag system for record-keeping and insurance purposes.
On Aug 27 last year, Bumiputera Contractors Association of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Azman Yusoff, 54, told the court that he had met Muhyiddin at a golf tournament at the same club in July 2020, during which Muhyiddin briefed him on projects under the Jana Wibawa programme.
However, Azman's testimony regarding that meeting was challenged by lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, who disputed that the meeting had taken place, and further claimed that the golf tournament in question took place in October rather than July.
Saravanan said he could not ascertain whether the game that day was a tournament or merely a friendly match, based on the number of players involved.
"Usually, if they are playing in a small group among themselves, we refer to it as a 'friendly' between those flights," he said.
"A tournament refers to a large group, usually more than 10 flights with over 40 players, and can involve up to 260 people," the witness said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Khairunnisa Hazwani Omar.
During the proceedings, DPP Noralis Mat informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad as a prosecution witness, but would likely offer him as a defence witness instead.
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 Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and Datuk Azman Yusoff in connection with the Jana Wibawa project.
He was 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 Sdn Bhd, 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.
These charges were brought under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of either five times the value of the proceeds from unlawful activities or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
The trial before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin resumes Wednesday (Sept 2). - Bernama
