KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today heard that former Felda chairman, Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad (pix) had stated at the Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FICSB) board of directors (BOD) meeting that the proposed acquisition of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites (MPHS) in Kuching, Sarawak, worth RM160 million, should not be tabled to the Felda BOD.
Former FICSB chief executive officer, Mohd Zaid Abdul Jalil, 48, when reading out his witness statement, said Mohd Isa said this after all the board papers were presented at the 10th FICSB BOD meeting on April 29, 2014.
“After the papers were tabled, I told the FICSB BOD that the proposal to acquire MPHS needed to be presented at the Felda BOD meeting for investment approval.
“Since the investment value of MPHS exceeded RM100 million, Tan Sri Mohd Isa said at a meeting that there was no need to table (the matter) to the Felda BOD as some members of the Felda BOD were also on the FISCB BOD, which had approved the acquisition,” he said on the sixth-day trial of Mohd Isa who is facing charges for criminal breach of trust (CBT) and corruption, involving RM3 million, in connection with the hotel purchase.
The 15th prosecution witness said the matter was not recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
Mohd Zaid said to his knowledge, not all Felda BOD members were on the FICSB BOD.
“Only five FICSB BOD members were on the Felda BOD, namely Tan Sri Isa, Tan Sri Dr Irwan Serigar Abdullah, Datuk Faizoull Ahmad, Datuk Dr Omar Salim and Datuk Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid.
“To my knowledge, any investment which exceeded RM100 million and approved by the FICSB BOD needed to get approval from the Felda BOD before it could proceed,” he added.
The witness also said that prior to this, for the proposed purchase of IRIS Corporation Berhad at RM144.7 million that was approved by the FICSB BOD, Mohd Isa informed the board to present the proposal to the Felda BOD for approval.
On Dec 14, 2018, Mohd Isa pleaded not guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust and nine counts of receiving bribes amounting to more than RM3 million.
The offences were allegedly committed at Menara Felda, Platinum Park, Persiaran KLCC between April 29, 2014, and Dec 11, 2015.
The hearing before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues tomorrow. — Bernama
