In the High Court, a witness testified that Nepturis Sdn Bhd issued a RM1 million cheque to Bersatu, with the managing director stating he acted on businessman TC Lian’s instructions.
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today heard that Nepturis Sdn Bhd had issued a RM1 million cheque payable to Bersatu.
Nepturis managing director Mohd Rizman Akum Khan, 43, said businessman Lian Tan Chuan, also known as TC Lian, had instructed him to prepare the Maybank Islamic Berhad cheque dated Feb 16, 2022, payable to the political party.
“I confirm that I signed this cheque. It bears my signature.
“After preparing and signing the cheque, I handed it back to TC Lian,” he said in his witness statement at the trial of former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is facing seven charges involving abuse of power and money laundering.
During earlier proceedings, Nepturis director and senior procurement executive Aliza Abd Malek, 47, testified that she and Mohd Rizman took over the company from TC Lian in 2018. They were appointed directors and each held a 50 per cent stake in the company.
Aliza had also testified that TC Lian held a 30 per cent interest in Nepturis because the company’s capital came from capital injections by his company, Metrasys Sdn Bhd.
Asked by defence lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad whether he agreed that the RM1 million was not a bribe, the 16th prosecution witness said he was unsure and that only TC Lian could answer the question, adding that he did not know the purpose of the cheque.
When Amer Hamzah asked whether the cheque constituted a form of gratification, Mohd Rizman said he could not determine whether it was a bribe or gratification.
During re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on who could confirm whether the RM1 million cheque was a donation or remuneration, Mohd Rizman said the matter should be referred to TC Lian.
On a Feb 1, 2021 letter from Nepturis addressed to Muhyiddin regarding the North Klang district police headquarters project in Selangor, and why it had been addressed to the former prime minister, Mohd Rizman said he was merely acting on TC Lian’s instructions.
According to his witness statement, Mohd Rizman confirmed that Nepturis had secured the RM141 million project.
He also testified that TC Lian’s name did not appear in the company’s shareholding records lodged with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), despite his 30 per cent interest in Nepturis.
Judicial Commissioner Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin then asked why Nepturis had not declared TC Lian’s shareholding to the SSM and had instead declared only Mohd Rizman and Aliza as 50 per cent shareholders.
However, Mohd Rizman said this was not an offence as it was part of the company’s business strategy, adding that Nepturis had received capital injections from TC Lian’s company, Metrasys Sdn Bhd.
“Metrasys would not participate in any government project because it is not a 100 per cent Bumiputera-owned company. Even if TC Lian held shares in Nepturis, it would still qualify as a Bumiputera company because he owned only a 30 per cent stake,” he said.
Muhyiddin, 79, who was prime minister and Bersatu president at the time, is facing four charges under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 of allegedly abusing his position to obtain RM225.3 million in gratification for the party in connection with the Jana Wibawa programme between March 2020 and August 2021.
The Pagoh MP also faces three charges under Section 4(1)(b), read together with Section 87(1), of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 involving RM200 million allegedly deposited into Bersatu’s bank accounts between February 2021 and July 2022.
The offences carry maximum prison terms of 20 years and 15 years respectively, as well as fines, upon conviction.
The trial continues on July 27.
