Baling MP, family listed as shareholders, directors of 4 firms, court told

Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and his family members were shareholders and directors of four firms with alleged links to a corruption case involving road projects in Perak and Kedah, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court heard today.

Second prosecution witness, Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) assistant registrar Muhamad Akmaludin Abdullah testified to this on the first day of the graft trial of Abdul Azeez (above) and his brother Abdul Latif.

Akmaludin said he revealed this to the MACC when the anti-graft agency applied for information on the four companies from CCM on Aug 10, 2018.

The companies in question are Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Azman Azeez Properties (M) Sdn Bhd, Azeera Management Consultants (M) Sdn Bhd and Azeera Properties (M) Sdn Bhd.

While reading out from a prepared witness statement, Akmaludin said the MACC information search at CCM showed that Azeez and his wife Khadijah Mohd Noor were shareholders within the four companies.

He said the information search also showed that the couple’s children Mohamed Khairul Anwar, Mohamed Khairul Azman, Khaleeda Azwa and Khaleeda Azeera, held directorships within the four firms.

However, it was not clear whether the couple and the four children held the shares and directorships simultaneously in all four firms or that these were spread out among the four companies.

“In reference to the (MACC) letter (to CCM) dated Aug 10, 2018, it is a letter to get information on the following companies.

“Among them are Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Azman Azeez Properties (M) Sdn Bhd, Azeera Management Consultants (M) Sdn Bhd and Azeera Properties (M) Sdn Bhd. I have checked up on the companies,” Akmaludin testified before judge Azura Alwi.

The witness said the information was shared with the MACC on Aug 13, 2018, in order to assist its investigations during that year.

Other witnesses who testified during proceedings today were Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam (Yapeim) legal unit head Adawiah Sahmad @ Abdul Samad and car dealership Zagma Sdn Bhd sales manager Yap Boon Seong.

According to Yap’s witness statement, his workplace is located at Jalan Kuching, Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, during examination-in-chief by the prosecution today, third prosecution witness Yap testified that Menuju Asas director Mohammad Redzuan Mohanan Abdullah helped part-pay a purchase of a Toyota Vellfire for Azeez in early 2012.

According to Azeez’s corruption charges, the accused was alleged to have received RM5.2 million from Redzuan Mohanan Abdullah as a reward for helping Menuju Asas in securing projects worth millions of ringgit for highway construction and road upgrades in Perak and Kedah.

Yap testified that Redzuan helped pay the deposit of RM10,000 for the vehicle that was priced at RM405,000 as of Feb 2012.

The witness claimed that Redzuan had given an RM10,000 Maybank cheque made out to Zagma dated Feb 21, 2012, and that Redzuan had asked the witness to put Azeez’s name in the receipt issued by Zagma for the deposit.

Yap alleged that Redzuan later gave the former a check dated March 1, 2012, for RM112,929.60 from Menuju Asas to Zagma as part-payment for the Toyota Vellfire’s purchase.

The witness also noted that the remaining balance of RM285,600 for the purchase of the vehicle was made via a bank loan from Public Bank made under the name of Azeez.

Yap then made a reference to a Public Bank Credit From Loan receipt dated March 13, 2012, which showed the transfer of RM285,600 from the bank to Zagma’s bank account.

After the three prosecution witnesses completed their testimonies, Azura postponed the hearing to Sept 7.

DPP Nik Haslinie Hashim and Aimi Syazwani Sarmin conducted the prosecution while Abdul Azeez was represented by defence counsel M Athimulan and Hisyam Teh Poh Teik.

Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos acted as lead defence counsel for Abdul Latif.

On Jan 16 last year, Abdul Azeez was charged with three counts of allegedly receiving bribes totalling RM5.2 million involving road projects in Perak and Kedah and nine counts of money laundering involving more than RM140 million.

On the same day, Abdul Latif was charged with two counts of allegedly abetting Azeez to commit the alleged offences. - Mkini