The Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court granted a six-day remand order against businessperson Albert Tei and Malacca PKR chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin today.
Lawyers for both parties confirmed the matter with the press after the remand proceedings.
Earlier today, Tei and Shamsul were brought to the court, handcuffed and clad in the orange MACC lock-up attire.
While Shamsul appeared silent, Tei repeatedly shouted in Malay that this was the price to pay when taking on the powerful.
“This is what happens when you take on the top leadership. Who else is brave enough to take them on?
“This is shameful to the country,” he added.
Later, during a press conference, Tei’s lawyer, Mahajoth Singh, lamented that he was only allowed to meet his client after the magistrate intervened this morning.
“I’m at a loss for words on how MACC officers had conducted themselves.
“Eventually, we had to make an application, then the magistrate allowed us… because that is what the law says.
“We have the right to consult our client,” Mahajoth said.
Also present was Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek.
Mahajoth pointed out that it was only after the magistrate intervened that they found out Tei was being investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act.
The section covers the offence of soliciting or accepting and giving or offering gratification (bribes).
The counsel also lashed out at the MACC for claiming Tei was not being cooperative, which led to the raid at the latter’s home yesterday.
Mahajoth pointed out that, for starters, there was an agreement between Tei and MACC that his client would present himself to the anti-graft officers on Dec 1.
“The MACC officer (in court) even said that I was not cooperative. As a result, I was forced to tender my WhatsApp messages,” he added.
Tei’s wife claims gun pointed at her
Yesterday, Tei’s wife, Lee Pei Rie, lodged a police report over MACC’s raid on the couple’s home in Puchong, Selangor.
In the report, Lee expressed concern over Tei’s safety and urged an investigation into the conduct of certain MACC officers during the raid.
She claimed that, among other things, MACC officers had pointed a gun at Tei while he was being handcuffed.
She also claimed that one of the officers had pointed a gun at her after she was found recording the raid using her phone.
The officers later confiscated not only her phone but also those of others living in the house, before deleting videos on the phones.
Lee also claimed that the MACC officers had scanned her home with an electronic device.
However, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki denied claims that his officers had pointed a weapon at Tei during his arrest.
Instead, he insisted that the arrest carried out by MACC officers was conducted in accordance with established procedures.
Touching on the raid, Mahajoth alleged that MACC officers had forced Tei to sign a notice, with a gun pointed at his head.
“He said that in court, it has been recorded. So, if I come to you and I put a gun and say, ‘Sign something’, wouldn’t you sign it?
“Of course, you would, even I would. There’s a gun to my head for God’s sake,” he added.
‘MACC has been professional’
Meanwhile, Shamsul’s lawyer, Yusmadi Yusoff, confirmed that his client is also being investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act.
While the MACC sought a seven-day remand order, Yusmadi said the magistrate granted a six-day remand due to Shamsul’s health condition.
“He is on treatment for heart issues, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and we submitted IJN (National Heart Institute) reports (to the court).
“And we hope the investigations can be completed soon as promised by (MACC chief) Azam Baki,” he said during a press conference.
Asked if MACC had been professional when investigating the former political aide to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Yusmadi replied in the positive.
“So far, I have to say yes… the cooperation has been good.
“Everything has been dealt with through me, and correspondingly, we gave good cooperation,” he added.
Asked to comment on the raid on Tei’s home, Yusmadi said the former is not his client, and he was not privy to the facts.
“I believe the cooperation, mannerism, and character of my client are different.
“So, I believe he deserves a different treatment or hearing by the judge… that was granted (remand hearing),” he added.
Mining licences scandal
Tei has been taking on politicians whom he allegedly gave money to for mineral exploration licences, which he did not end up getting.
He later turned his attention to Shamsul, whom Tei claimed he had spent RM629,000 on after being assured that the PKR man could help recoup money channelled to politicians in Sabah.
Besides funding renovations, appliances, and furnishings for two properties, Tei alleged he had spent thousands of ringgit on premium cigars and tailored suits for Shamsul, who also purportedly requested money from the businessperson while travelling abroad.
Videos released on social media also depicted Tei’s conversation with a woman, whose face was blurred out in the recordings, but has since been identified as Sofia.
In the recordings, the woman told the businessperson that Anwar had given his blessings for the Sabah politicians to be secretly recorded.
She also claimed that Shamsul had met with Azam at an undisclosed time to ask the MACC chief to “settle” the Sabah mining scandal case involving Tei, prompting calls for the national agency and Azam to be recused from the probe. - Mkini
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