KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (NNN-BERNAMA) — A businessman told the High Court here today that officers from the Research Division of the Prime Minister’s Department had used a condominium unit in Cyberjaya to store their documents for a two-week period in 2018.
Executive Director of Worldbay Network Mohd Azmin Hashim, 50, said two officers from the division, Hasnul Ambia Abdullah Sani and Maliki Mohamad had told him to not come to the condominium during the period of stay when he had met them to hand over the unit’s keys to them.
He said he followed the request made by Hasnul and Maliki and had also instructed his worker Mohd Hazim not to go to the unit throughout the period the Research Division used it.
He said he had agreed to allow Datuk Ruslin Jusoh, who was a senior officer from the division, to use his apartment on a basis of trust and the need of the Research Division at that time.
“I also did not know what kind of documents that the division kept there,” Mohd Azmin said when testifying as the fourth prosecution witness in the criminal breach of trust (CBT) trial involving former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) director-general Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid.
Mohd Azmin said this during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Farid Ahmad Kamal .
Hasanah is facing a criminal breach of trust charged involving US$12.1 million in funds belonging to the government.
On October 6, first prosecution witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Assistant officer Muhammad Nizhar told the court that the MACC had raided the condominium unit but did not find any money or materials related to the case.
Earlier, Mohd Azmin said he had known Hasnul and Maliki since early 2017 as during that year he had conducted many demonstrations and presentations related to his company’s telecommunication products to officers at the Research Division.
“However, I’m closer to Maliki because I often had discussions with him about the maintenance of communication equipment.
“I first met Datuk Hasanah and Datuk Ruslin around 2016 during a presentation on ‘3G Lawful Interception’ at the JPM. I only deal with them on business matters,” said the fourth prosecution witness.
Mohd Azmin said during the business dealings, Datuk Hasanah and Datuk Ruslin had only visited the condominium once for the final presentation (of the 3G Lawful Interception).
He said on June 26, 2018, Hasnul and Maliki met him at D’Pulze Cyberjaya and informed that the condominium unit was in the process of being vacated and the condominium keys would be returned to him soon.
“However, on the same day, Hasnul contacted me to inform that the keys had been handed over to Datuk Salahudin Yaakob who is my business partner.
“On June 27, 2018, I met Datuk Salahudin at the condominium lobby to pick up the keys. After getting the keys, Hazim and I went straight to the unit to see its condition and send our belongings there,” he said.
Asked by Ahmad Farid about the number of keys and access cards he handed over to Hasnul and Maliki, he replied: “Two sets of two keys and two access cards.
Ahmad Farid: Did you notice any difference in the house after getting back the keys and entering the condominium unit?
Mohd Azmin: I came in at night, around 9 pm. The unit was in the same condition and there was no difference.
On Oct 25, 2018, Hasanah, 62, pleaded not guilty to a charge of committing CBT amounting to US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) in funds belonging to the government when serving as the director-general of the Prime Minister’s Department Research Division.
She was charged with committing the offence at the office of the Research Division in the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) in Putrajaya between April 30 to May 9, 2018.
The charge, under Section 409 of the Penal Code carries a jail term maximum of 20 years and whipping as well as fine if found guilty.
The hearing before Judicial Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh continues on Oct 12.
— NNN-BERNAMA