Bank officer can't confirm RM63k belonged to ex-Felda chair Shahrir

 

A bank officer today told the High Court he could not confirm if the RM63,800, which was deposited into a bank account in the name of an engineering and construction company, belonged personally to former minister Shahrir Abdul Samad.

Public Bank Bhd Banking Services manager Tan Kok Kiong, 32, said he also could not confirm that the money, which was deposited via a cheque dated March 22, 2014 into Public Bank's account in the name of ZAM Engineering & Construction, was entrusted to Shahrir.

The third prosecution witness said this during cross-examination by counsel Shazreen Mohd Hatta, who represented Shahrir (above) at the trial of the former Felda chairperson who is charged with failing to declare RM1 million which he received from Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

Tan, who works at the Muar branch of Public Bank agreed with the lawyer's suggestion that he could not confirm if the money that went into the company's bank account was actually a reimbursement.

Earlier, when reading his witness statement, Tan said the account opening application was made by two individuals, Hamidah Basir and Nur Faizah Zulkifli, who are partners in ZAM Engineering & Construction on Jan 25, 2013, and RM63,800 was deposited via a cheque into the account on March 24, 2014.

Meanwhile, the witness said the RM63,800 was a normal transaction that was not suspicious because it was not a large amount for a company account.

“If there is a suspicion in a transaction involving a cheque, the bank has the right not to proceed with the transaction?” asked the counsel, to which the witness replied: "Yes".

Shazreen: The balance in the Public Bank account was RM529.60 before the RM63,800 went into the bank account. Is the sudden deposit of RM63,800 something suspicious?:

Tan: No, because it’s a construction company and it may get payment for a contract.

During re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Natrah Fareha Rahmat, the witness said he could only confirm that money was deposited into the account but could not verify the source of the money.

Separate deposit in Maybank

Meanwhile, an assistant branch manager of Malayan Banking Berhad, Salniza Abdul Rahman, 49, told the court that RM10,000 was deposited through a cheque into the Maybank account of the Taman Kebun Teh Umno branch in Johor on Dec 10, 2013.

According to the fourth prosecution witness, the Umno branch account was managed by three individuals, Shahril @ Shahrir Ab Samad, who was the then branch chief, treasurer Murad Mohd Taib, and secretary Mohd Salaehudin Ali.

Shahrir, 72, was charged with money laundering by not stating his real income in the Income Tax Return Form for Assessment Year 2013, which is a violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, on the RM1 million, believed to be from unlawful activities, which he received from Najib through a cheque.

He was charged with committing the offence at IRB, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim in Kuala Lumpur on April 25, 2014.

The charge, framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides a maximum fine of RM5 million, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.

The trial before Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin continues tomorrow.

- Bernama