Kuala lumpur: The High Court was today informed that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) received directives from senior officials to process only recommendations originating from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for projects under the Jana Wibawa Programme.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datin Rosni Mohd Yusoff, the Government Procurement Division Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, testified that these instructions were conveyed by her superior, Datuk Zamzuri Abdul Aziz. Rosni explained that as a civil servant, any notes or minutes inscribed in documents are regarded as official actions. Consequently, based on such notes, the Minister of Finance's Office issued instructions to the Procurement Division through Datuk Zamzuri and herself.
Rosni detailed that the hierarchical process involved directives from the PMO's office to the Minister of Finance's Office, which subsequently instructed her division to act accordingly. She shared this information during the trial of former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who faces charges of abuse of power and money laundering linked to the Jana Wibawa project.
Rosni further elaborated on the circumstances surrounding KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd. She mentioned that although KCJ Engineering initially failed the technical capability evaluation, a letter from the PMO necessitated a re-evaluation of the company's performance. The company was eventually recommended for a direct negotiation for the project to construct a new road connecting Felda Bukit Jalor to Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.
During the proceedings, Rosni affirmed that her actions were based on written instructions, and she would not have proceeded without them. Lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, representing Muhyiddin, questioned her about the existence of a directive from Muhyiddin regarding awarding the project via direct negotiation, to which Rosni responded that she received instructions from the PMO, not directly from Muhyiddin.
Muhyiddin, the former Prime Minister and Bersatu President, is accused of leveraging his position to solicit bribes totaling RM225.3 million from several companies, including KCJ Engineering, in connection with the Jana Wibawa Project. The charges are framed under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and involve substantial penalties upon conviction.
Furthermore, Muhyiddin faces charges related to receiving illegal proceeds amounting to RM200 million from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, deposited into Bersatu's bank accounts. These charges fall under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, carrying severe penalties.
The trial, presided over by Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin, is set to continue on August 26.