KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — A prosecution witness admitted in the High Court today that a RM1 million political contribution made to Bersatu was decided only after calculating project profits, confirming that the payment was made via official cheque following formal tender approval by government authorities rather than any direct demand from former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Testifying in Muhyiddin’s ongoing trial, Metrasys Sdn Bhd director Lian Tan Chuan, 55, revealed that his assumption regarding Muhyiddin’s involvement was based on personal belief after Nepturis Sdn Bhd secured the pre-qualification tender for the Klang Utara District Police Headquarters (IPD) project in Selangor. The contract was formally awarded following the issuance of a Letter of Acceptance by the Public Works Department (JKR) on Jan 12, 2022.

Under questioning by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on why his company decided to make the RM1 million contribution to the political party, Lian admitted that the payment was arranged internally based on financial returns from the contract.

“After we calculated the project’s profits,” Lian told the court when asked what emboldened him to make the contribution.

He added that an understanding existed within the firm to provide a contribution once official approval was secured, stating: “It was already agreed that once we received the Letter of Acceptance, we would have to make a contribution”.

Lian’s testimony established that no direct financial dealings or personal solicitations occurred between him and the former prime minister. Instead, Lian explained that he acted through independent intermediaries, having been introduced to businessman Adam Radlan by Bumiputera Contractors Association president Datuk Azman Yusoff at Publika in December 2020.

According to Lian, it was Adam Radlan who suggested submitting company profiles and application letters on a pre-qualification basis to seek support minutes. Acting on this advice, Lian instructed an executive to prepare five pre-qualification application letters dated Feb 1, 2021, representing Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Fastcoll Corporation Sdn Bhd, MZ Hakujaya Sdn Bhd, Permata Rebana Sdn Bhd, and JM Letrik Sdn Bhd.

Lian further acknowledged that all project applications were subjected to official administrative channels, including evaluations by the Ministry of Finance and formal approval procedures by JKR, before any contract was issued.

Demonstrating that the financial transaction was conducted openly through standard corporate banking rather than clandestine cash handovers, Lian detailed how the funds were processed.

“On Jan 16, 2022, I instructed Rizman (Mohd Rizman Akum Khan) to issue a cheque of RM1 million from Nepturis, payable to Bersatu. I then handed the cheque to Datuk Azman (Yusoff) at his office, and asked him to either pass it to any Bersatu leader or bank it in,” Lian testified.

Asked to differentiate between a donation and consideration during examination, Lian stated: “A donation means giving without receiving anything in return. It is unconditional and given voluntarily. Consideration, however, is given to obtain something in return,” adding that he personally viewed the payment as consideration following the JKR letter of acceptance.

However, when pressed on the basis for attributing the contract success to the former premier, Lian conceded that his statement relied on his own inference that the application had been processed by the Prime Minister’s Office prior to Ministry of Finance evaluation.

Muhyiddin, 79, faces seven charges in total. The former prime minister and Bersatu president is charged with four counts of abuse of power under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009 relating to alleged solicitations for Bersatu from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and Datuk Azman Yusoff between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021. He also faces three counts of money laundering under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 involving RM200 million.

The trial before High Court Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin resumes tomorrow.

-NMT