The construction firm’s managing director says he sought help to secure the Pulau Indah Ring Road Phase 3 project for his brother’s company, Sutracom.
Mamfor Sdn Bhd managing director Shahradzi Shamsuddin, 43, testified in former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial that he prepared all the banker’s cheques and personally delivered them in stages to Bersatu’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya between May 2021 and November 2022.
The prosecution witness said he sought help from businessman Azman Yusoff in June 2021 to help Sutracom Sdn Bhd, his younger brother Shahrin Shamsuddin’s company, secure the RM605 million Pulau Indah Ring Road Phase 3 construction and upgrading project.
Shahradzi said he had known Azman since meeting him at the works ministry about a year earlier.
He claimed that a month later, Azman asked him to contribute money to Bersatu and said he would help Sutracom secure the project.
Although Azman did not specify an amount or percentage, Shahradzi said he estimated the contribution would be about 3-4% of the contract value based on his experience as a businessman.
“I complied with his request because I believed it was related to the fact that Sutracom, a company owned by my younger brother which I used to secure the Pulau Indah Ring Road project, had received a written minute of support from then-prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin,” he said in his witness statement.
Sutracom was awarded the project in October 2022.
Shahradzi said RM10.5 million was contributed before Sutracom received the letter of acceptance, followed by a further RM9 million after the project was awarded.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Shahradzi agreed that he would not have donated to Bersatu if Azman had not asked him to.
Wan Shaharuddin: If Azman had not asked for the contribution, would you have donated even RM100 to Bersatu?
Shahradzi: No.
Questioned by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Jumaat, Shahradzi said he knew Azman was involved in the facility management business and was president of a Bumiputera contractors’ association.
During cross-examination, defence counsel Chetan Jethwani suggested that Azman had never linked the donation request to Muhyiddin.
Chetan: Azman never told you Muhyiddin asked for the donation?
Shahradzi: He never said that.
Chetan: He never mentioned Muhyiddin by name?
Shahradzi: Never.
Shahradzi also testified that he had never spoken to Muhyiddin personally and did not know why Azman had asked him to donate to Bersatu.
Earlier, in his witness statement, Shahradzi said he initially sought help from his friend Ayob Ali, whom he described as being close to Muhyiddin because the former prime minister frequently attended Hari Raya gatherings at Ayob’s home.
He said that in December 2020, he asked Ayob to hand a letter from Sutracom to Muhyiddin seeking the Pulau Indah Ring Road project through direct negotiation.
However, in March 2021, Ayob informed him that the government no longer allowed direct negotiations and advised him to apply through the pre-qualification tender process instead.
Shahradzi said he then “borrowed” several companies owned by friends and acquaintances to submit letters of intent, each printed on the respective companies’ letterheads which he had prepared, and addressed to Muhyiddin.
Besides Sutracom, the companies were Multi Skilled Engineering Sdn Bhd, Majulia Sdn Bhd, ANR Ventures Sdn Bhd, Sejagat Bakti Sdn Bhd and Smart Reliance Sdn Bhd.
He said he handed all the letters to Ayob. In April 2021, his brother informed him that Sutracom had received an email from the finance ministry requesting documents for the project bid.
Shahradzi then turned to Azman for further assistance.
Muhyiddin, 79, faces seven charges linked to the Jana Wibawa programme, a government initiative introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist Bumiputera contractors.
The Bersatu president is charged with four counts of abusing his position to solicit RM225.3 million in bribes for the party from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor and Azman.
The offences were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Office between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021.
He also faces three counts of money laundering involving RM200 million allegedly received from Bukhary Equity and deposited into Bersatu’s accounts at AmBank and CIMB Bank.
The alleged offences took place at AmBank in Petaling Jaya and CIMB Bank on Jalan Stesen Sentral between Feb 25, 2021, and July 8, 2022.
The trial before Justice Noor Ruwena Nurdin continues tomorrow. - FMT
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