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RM800,000 channelled into Bersatu account from engineering firm, court told
2 hours ago
Faisal Asyraf
Bank officer says the transactions involved four cheques of RM200,000 each deposited on Oct 12, 2022
Muhyiddin Yassin faces four counts of abuse of power for soliciting RM225.3 million in bribes, and three money laundering charges involving RM200 million during his tenure as the prime minister. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: A bank officer told the High Court hearing former prime minister and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial today that RM800,000 was credited into the party’s account through four cheques on Oct 12, 2022.
Maybank operations officer Chang Hui Lin, the sixth prosecution witness, testified that the funds came from KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Jumaat, Chang said the transactions involved four cheques of RM200,000 each, all deposited on the same date, as reflected in the company’s bank statement.
She said records from the company’s account opening application showed its directors were Zulhelmi Mairin @ Kunting and Hafizam Abdul Halim, while Zulhelmi, Azman Yusoff and Zaid Yusoff were its authorised signatories.
The four cheques were signed by Zulhelmy and Zaid, she added.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad, Chang agreed the transactions were transparent and consistent with Clause 24.2 of the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia constitution.
The clause states that every financial contribution or asset to the party must be declared and kept in the party’s account.
Amer: Can we say that those four transactions were transparent?
Chang: Agree.
Amer: Who was the recipient of the cheques?
Chang: Bersatu.
Amer: So is it consistent with Clause 24.2 that the financial contributions must be kept in the party’s account?
Chang: Agree.
Previously, two bank officers from AmBank and CIMB testified that RM6 million and RM19.3 million, respectively, had been credited into Bersatu’s accounts between Feb 21, 2022 and Nov 22, 2022.
Muhyiddin, 78, faces seven charges linked to his administration’s Jana Wibawa programme, a government initiative introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist Bumiputera contractors.
The Bersatu president is charged with four counts of abusing his position to solicit RM225.3 million in bribes for the party from three companies and one individual – Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and Azman.
He is alleged to have committed the offences at the Prime Minister’s Office between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021.
He also faces three counts of money laundering involving RM200 million, allegedly received from Bukhary Equity and deposited into Bersatu’s accounts at AmBank and CIMB Bank.
The offences are alleged to have been committed at AmBank in Petaling Jaya and CIMB Bank at Jalan Stesen Sentral in Kuala Lumpur between Feb 25, 2021, and July 8, 2022.
The defence team also comprises Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Rosli Dahlan, Chetan Jethwani, K Kumaraendran, Kee Wei Loon, Low Wei Loke, Siti Summaiyah Ahmad Jaafar, Lee Yei Wei, Tang Jia Yearn and Joshua Tay.
The prosecution team comprises Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Akram Gharib, Noralis Mat, Mahadi Jumaat, Alis Izzati Azurin Rusdi and Safari Abdullah.
The trial before Justice Noor Ruwena Nurdin continues on April 16.
Maybank operations officer Chang Hui Lin, the sixth prosecution witness, testified that the funds came from KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Jumaat, Chang said the transactions involved four cheques of RM200,000 each, all deposited on the same date, as reflected in the company’s bank statement.
She said records from the company’s account opening application showed its directors were Zulhelmi Mairin @ Kunting and Hafizam Abdul Halim, while Zulhelmi, Azman Yusoff and Zaid Yusoff were its authorised signatories.
The four cheques were signed by Zulhelmy and Zaid, she added.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad, Chang agreed the transactions were transparent and consistent with Clause 24.2 of the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia constitution.
The clause states that every financial contribution or asset to the party must be declared and kept in the party’s account.
Amer: Can we say that those four transactions were transparent?
Chang: Agree.
Amer: Who was the recipient of the cheques?
Chang: Bersatu.
Amer: So is it consistent with Clause 24.2 that the financial contributions must be kept in the party’s account?
Chang: Agree.
Previously, two bank officers from AmBank and CIMB testified that RM6 million and RM19.3 million, respectively, had been credited into Bersatu’s accounts between Feb 21, 2022 and Nov 22, 2022.
Muhyiddin, 78, faces seven charges linked to his administration’s Jana Wibawa programme, a government initiative introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist Bumiputera contractors.
The Bersatu president is charged with four counts of abusing his position to solicit RM225.3 million in bribes for the party from three companies and one individual – Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and Azman.
He is alleged to have committed the offences at the Prime Minister’s Office between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021.
He also faces three counts of money laundering involving RM200 million, allegedly received from Bukhary Equity and deposited into Bersatu’s accounts at AmBank and CIMB Bank.
The offences are alleged to have been committed at AmBank in Petaling Jaya and CIMB Bank at Jalan Stesen Sentral in Kuala Lumpur between Feb 25, 2021, and July 8, 2022.
The defence team also comprises Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Rosli Dahlan, Chetan Jethwani, K Kumaraendran, Kee Wei Loon, Low Wei Loke, Siti Summaiyah Ahmad Jaafar, Lee Yei Wei, Tang Jia Yearn and Joshua Tay.
The prosecution team comprises Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Akram Gharib, Noralis Mat, Mahadi Jumaat, Alis Izzati Azurin Rusdi and Safari Abdullah.
The trial before Justice Noor Ruwena Nurdin continues on April 16.
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