By Rahmat Khairulrijal | New Straits Times
A director of a construction and engineering company told the High Court here that a portion of the funds he transferred to his brother’s company was subsequently donated to Bersatu without his knowledge.
Sutracom Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Shahrin Shamsuddin said SSB had transferred RM13.8 million via nine transactions to Mamfor Sdn Bhd — a company owned by his brother, Shahradzi — between Sept 13, 2021, and Nov 14, 2022.
Sutracom had secured the project to construct and upgrade the Pulau Indah Ring Road Phase 3 in Klang, Selangor, valued at RM605.3 million. The project was later implemented under the Jana Wibawa programme.
Shahrin, the 15th prosecution witness in Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial over the Jana Wibawa programme, told the court that Sutracom, in September 2021, received RM2 million from Vizione Construction Sdn Bhd as a security deposit during negotiations for a proposed subcontracting arrangement for the Pulau Indah Phase 3 project.
Shahrin said that shortly afterwards, he instructed that RM1.5 million be transferred from Sutracom’s account to Mamfor’s bank account to settle outstanding debts owed by the family’s businesses.
He said the funds were channelled to Mamfor as it managed the group’s finances and creditors.
However, Shahrin said he was unaware that Shahradzi had transferred money to Bersatu’s bank account until the matter surfaced during a family meeting to discuss the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation into their company.
“I am not sure how much of the money Shahradzi used to settle the family companies’ outstanding debts, cover operational expenses and make contributions to Bersatu, as he never told me,” he said in his witness statement.
The court heard that Mamfor had transferred a total of RM19.5 million to Bersatu’s bank account between May 2021 and Nov 2022.
Meanwhile, Shahrin said sending letters to the prime minister to express interest in securing government projects was common practice in the construction industry.
He said companies would routinely write to the Prime Minister’s Office or relevant ministries after the government announced new infrastructure projects.
This, he said, was the practice adopted by his family’s companies when they learnt of the proposed Pulau Indah Phase 3 road project.
“Our family companies issued many such letters for various government projects.
“It was a common practice in the construction industry, particularly whenever the government announced new projects,” he said.
He said the decision to submit one such letter was made during a family discussion at the end of 2020 after learning of the government’s initiative to assist Bumiputera contractors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shahrin said his father suggested that the family prepare and send letters of interest or applications for consideration to the PMO or the ministries overseeing government construction projects.
The court heard that Sutracom had sent a letter dated March 5, 2021, to Muhyiddin, who was the prime minister at the time, seeking approval to participate in the pre-qualification tender for the Pulau Indah Phase 3 road upgrading project.
However, Shahrin said that the letter was prepared and signed by his elder brother, Shahradzi Shamsuddin, and not by him.
He said although he knew about the letter, its preparation and submission were handled entirely by his brother as part of the family’s usual practice of seeking consideration for government projects.
Muhyiddin, 79, is facing four charges of abusing his position to obtain RM232.5 million in bribes for Bersatu in connection with the Jana Wibawa programme, as well as three charges of laundering RM200 million. He has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.
The trial before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin continues.
