Businessman testifies Muhyiddin helped Nepturis secure project, leading to RM1 million donation
KUALA LUMPUR: A businessman told the High Court today that he believed former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had a role in helping Nepturis Sdn Bhd, a company he had established, secure a project under the Jana Wibawa programme.
Metrasys Sdn Bhd director Lian Tan Chuan, 55, said this stemmed from Nepturis winning the pre-qualification tender for the Klang Utara District Police Headquarters (IPD) project in Selangor 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 RM1 million 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,” he said.
The 21st prosecution witness 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.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on why the witness had dared to make a RM1 million contribution to Bersatu, Lian replied: “After we calculated the project’s profits.”
When asked 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: RM1 million 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.
Regarding the RM1 million contribution, Lian said he made the payment at Azman’s request, after Nepturis secured the Jana Wibawa project through an application letter supported by Muhyiddin, who was then prime minister and Bersatu president.
“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 Ministry of Finance 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 Radlan, Lian said Azman had introduced them at Publika in December 2020, and told him that Adam Radlan had close ties with Muhyiddin and could help his company secure projects.
The witness said Adam Radlan, who also played golf with Muhyiddin, had asked him to prepare an 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 Radlan 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 Sdn Bhd, 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 RM232.5 million 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 RM200 million 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 tomorrow.
