GEORGE TOWN: A businessman from China told the High Court here that he had to pay RM400,000 to own a Malaysian passport and an identity card.
Wang De Qun, 58, said he agreed with the payment and wanted to have a Malaysian passport to facilitate investment and business dealings in this country.
“I wanted to have a valid passport in this country to facilitate my business as I faced difficulties entering Malaysia,” said the prosecution witness in the deposition proceedings on the case involving six individuals, including Penang National Registration Department (JPN) assistant director Mohd Faizul Arifin, 34; Mohd Faizal Tan Abdullah, 66; Yap Cheng Wah, 43; Loh Chan Cheong, 34; Chien Guan Chai, 36, and businessman Datuk Lai Chin Wah, 56 who are facing charges of illegally issuing and selling a birth certificate and an identity card to a foreigner.
Wang who gave his statement in Mandarin, which was translated into Bahasa Melayu, said he was running a resort business and was a contractor in this country.
In his statement, Wang said a Thai man known as Liwge told him of a way to acquire a Malaysian passport, to which his finance manager paid RM200,000 advance to the Thai man.
“I told Liwge, I wanted the passport for the purpose of investment as available in Australia and Africa, and I wanted a valid Malaysian passport,” said Wang who is holding two passports, China and Vanuatu, with the Malaysian passport under the name of Ewe Chor Beng.
He said to obtain the passport, the Thai man introduced him to the accused businessman Datuk Lai Chin Wah, 56, in December last year.
“In the meeting with Lai, I was brought to a hotel. After that I was brought to a government building. There, I was brought to the room of an officer on the third floor where I was told to sign several pieces of documents which I do not know the content of, but I believe it is a valid transaction relating to my passport application,” said Wang who confirmed and identified the officer in court, referred as JPN assistant director Mohd Faizul.
The witness said he was then brought to another building to get his thumb print and his picture taken. He was then brought by Lai to the hotel and waited for several hours there before he was shown a copy of the document which has his picture.
The witness said he later returned to China and in February this year, Lai contacted him to say his passport was ready. The witness said he then went to Penang and met with Lai who showed him an identity card bearing his picture.
“At that time, I thought I have obtained the passport but it was only a card and the accused told me it was a card (MyKad) which was needed to apply for the passport.
“The following day, I was brought to the same government building to see to all other procedures to obtain a passport and later returned to my country,” he said.
Wang said in March this year, Lai again contacted him to say his passport was ready. The witness went to Penang again to meet Lai to collect the passport.
“After obtaining the passport that night, the accused (Lai) brought me to Thailand and returned to Malaysia the next day to try out the passport. There were no complications and the exit and entry proceeded smoothly,” Wang said. He then handed over RM200,000 to Lai who told him he wanted to do “business” with him again and asked him to get a Malaysian driving license to which the witness agreed. He sat for the driving test.
Justice Datuk Akhtar Tahir set tomorrow for the witness to continue his statement.
Mohd Faizul, Mohd Faizal Tan, Yap, Loh and Chien all pleaded not guilty to two charges under Section 26E of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670), while businessman, Lai pleaded not guilty to three similar charges.
Mohd Faizul faces two charges for fraudulently issuing a birth certificate and an identity card under the name of Ewe Chor Beng to facilitate smuggling of a migrant at the Penang NRD Headquarters, Bangunan Persekutuan, Jalan Anson, here between January and February 2019.
Mohd Faizal Tan, Yap, Loh and Chien are charged with two counts each, of selling a birth certificate and an identity card under the same name (Ewe Chor Beng) in George Town during the same period.
Lai was charged with three counts of selling a birth certificate, an identity card and a passport under the same name in George Town between January and March 2019.
Section 26E of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, provides for an imprisonment of up to 15 years and fine of not less than RM50,000, or both, if found guilty. — Bernama
