By Faisal Asyraf | Free Malaysia Today
The High Court heard today that a Chinese businessman controlled a construction company that secured a contract worth about RM141 million to build the Klang Utara police headquarters under the Jana Wibawa programme, which was meant for Bumiputera contractors.
Nepturis Sdn Bhd director and senior procurement executive Aliza Abd Malek, 46, testified in her witness statement that although she and fellow director Rizman Akum Khan each held a 50% stake in the company, Lian Tian Chuan had control of Nepturis through his construction firm, Metrasys Sdn Bhd.
Testifying as the 13th prosecution witness in former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial, Aliza said she began working as a purchasing clerk at Lian’s former company, MK Construction & Communication Sdn Bhd, in October 2003 before later joining Metrasys.
She said that in 2018, Lian asked her and Rizman to take over Nepturis by appointing them as directors and shareholders.
“It was Metrasys that injected the capital into Nepturis. So Rizman and I had to discuss all operational matters with Lian and obtain his approval,” she said.
Letters for 5 companies bidding for Klang Utara project
Aliza said that in February and March 2021, Lian instructed her to prepare application letters to undertake the Klang Utara police headquarters project and the Central Spine Road project from Sertik to the East Coast Expressway interchange, addressed to the prime minister.
“I confirm that I do not know to whom the letters were delivered or with whom Lian dealt with in delivering them. Lian never informed or told me who he dealt with or contacted regarding these applications,” she said.
Aliza also claimed that Lian instructed her to prepare similar letters on behalf of four other companies participating in the pre-qualification tender for the same project, namely Permata Rebana Sdn Bhd, Fastcoll Corporation Sdn Bhd, JM Letrik Sdn Bhd and MZ Hakujaya Sdn Bhd.
She said Nepturis subsequently secured the project, valued at about RM141 million, and that Lian continued to give her and Rizman instructions relating to the project from time to time.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Noralis Mat, Aliza said the four companies involved Lian’s business partners.
Noralis: After you prepared the letters, who signed them?
Aliza: The respective company owners. I prepared the letters and handed them to their personal assistants for the owners to sign.
Questions over Nepturis’s shareholding structure
During cross-examination by defence counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad, Aliza was questioned about her statement that she and Rizman each owned a 50% share of Nepturis, while Lian held a 30% stake through Metrasys.
Amer: You said Lian held 30% of the company, but if you and Rizman each owned 50%, that totals 130%. How is that possible?
Aliza: On paper, it is 50-50 between Rizman and me. But in reality, it is divided among the three of us: me, Rizman and Lian.
Amer: Do you have any document to support that claim?
Aliza: No.
Amer: So it was purely a verbal agreement? There was no documented (written) agreement?
Aliza: No.
Aliza also agreed that the alleged arrangement had never been disclosed to the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
When Justice Noor Ruwena Nurdin asked whether she knew why Lian had allowed her and Rizman to take over Nepturis, Aliza said he wanted them to progress in their careers.
Muhyiddin, 78, faces seven charges linked to the 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 Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis, Mamfor Sdn Bhd and Azman Yusoff, allegedly for Bersatu.
The offences were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Office between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021.
Muhyiddin 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 said to have taken place at AmBank in Petaling Jaya and CIMB Bank on Jalan Stesen Sentral between Feb 25, 2021 and July 8, 2022.
The trial continues tomorrow.
