Ex-Sabah water dept director used my name to book luxury cars, says witness

 

Awang Mohd Tahir Awang Mohd Talib, his wife Fauziah Piut and his former deputy Lim Lam Beng are charged with 37 counts of money laundering involving RM61.57 million.

PETALING JAYA: A prosecution witness in the corruption trial of former Sabah water department director Awang Mohd Tahir Awang Mohd Talib told the Special Corruption Court in Kota Kinabalu he agreed to use his name to book two luxury cars on behalf of the accused.

According to Husseiny Yusof, 43, he would get an introducer’s commission from the vehicle salesman, Daily Express reported today.

Testifying during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Haresh Prakash Somiah, Husseiny said in his witness statement that Tahir offered him a job as a driver in February 2013 with a salary of RM4,000 a month.

He said Tahir was keen on new cars and told him about “a beautiful car” at a Mazda showroom in Inanam.

According to Husseiny, Tahir was interested in buying a Mazda 6 and told him to book the car using his name while the accused paid the booking fee.

He said Tahir took him to the Mercedes Hap Seng showroom in June 2016 to look at new models.

The accused was keen on the Mercedes Coupe 300 model, so he told Husseiny to book the car under his name, the witness said.

Husseiny said the Mazda 6 was registered under the name of Syuhada Enterprise, which belonged to Ampuan Hashim Mahmud, while the Mercedes was registered under Ami Enterprise, which belonged to Awang Mohd Isham Awang Mahmud.

He confirmed that both cars were used by Tahir.

Husseiny also said he borrowed RM30,000 from Tahir because he wanted to buy a car, so the accused gave him the money in a bag a week later.

Asked about a Ford Ranger 3.2 WT 4WD with the number plate SB66C, Husseiny confirmed that it was owned by NBD Enterpise and that it was parked at Tahir’s residence in Sembulan.

He added that Tahir normally used the Ford Ranger during the weekends only.

Cross-examined by Tahir’s counsel Marcel Jude, Husseiny said he received between RM500 and RM1,000 as commission for each car.

He said he never told Tahir about the introducer’s commission because he was never bothered about money.

Asked by Haresh about the absence of an appointment letter, Husseiny explained that Tahir offered him a job as a part-time driver, and would tell him: “You bring (drive) me using this car.”

Husseiny also agreed with a suggestion by Marcel that he was Tahir’s friend and his part-time driver.

He also said Tahir paid his salary of between RM3,000 and RM4,000 in cash every month, and agreed with Marcel that he was not the official driver for the accused as he already had one at the water department.

Meanwhile, the prosecution’s 17th witness, trader Juliana Mohd Salleh, confirmed that the Ford Ranger was registered under her company, NBD Enterprise, but it was not purchased by her.

She said Husseiny bought the vehicle and he used her company’s name because he was not eligible to purchase the 4WD vehicle.

Juliana said she agreed to have the company name used because she trusted Husseiny, who was also her friend, and that the purchase was made in cash.

However, she said she did not know who made the payment because she only gave her identity card and her trading licence.

She also testified that she had never used the Ford Ranger because it was handed over to Husseiny.

Juliana stated earlier that she had worked with Kontraktor Mekar Satu (KMSE), a company owned by Tahir’s younger brother, Awang Mohd Fauzi, in early 2012.

She said she set up NBD Enterprise 11 years ago and her company was among eight that “lent” their contractor licences to KMSE to get project tenders from the state water department as well as other agencies, and that NBD Enterprise was paid commission based on the project value.

Juliana said her company was awarded seven or eight tenders from the water department in 2015 on new projects, goods supply and maintenance work.

Tahir, 58, is on trial together with his wife Fauziah Piut, 55, and former department deputy director Lim Lam Beng, 66, before Judge Abu Bakar Manat.

The trio had on Dec 29, 2016 pleaded not guilty to 37 counts of money laundering involving RM61.57 million.

Marcel is also representing Fauziah while Tan Hock Chuan, Baldev Singh and Karpaljit Singh are appearing for Lim.

The trial continues. - FMT