KUALA LUMPUR: A witness in Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial told the High Court today that CIMB Bank Bhd had filed suspicious transaction reports (STR) with Bank Negara Malaysia regarding millions of ringgit deposited into Bersatu’s account in 2021 and 2022.
CIMB branch manager Lee Hui Nee, 57, testified that a total of RM19.3 million was deposited into the party’s account through 28 cheques between August 2021 and November 2022.
She said the funds came from several sources, including Mamfor Sdn Bhd, an individual identified as Azman Yusoff, and banker’s cheques where the senders’ names were not stated.
Lee also confirmed that the account signatories since December 2020 were Muhyiddin, Ahmad Faizal Azumu, Hamzah Zainudin and Salleh Bajuri.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Lee explained that the bank’s internal control system would flag transactions involving unusual amounts and trigger the filing of STR.
Wan Shaharuddin: For this case, was any STR triggered?
Lee: Yes.
Wan Shaharuddin: What was BNM’s response?
Lee: We do not know. Our job is only to raise the issue.
During cross-examination, defence counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad pointed out that Lee had never been questioned about the STR when she was previously called by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to assist in its investigation into the former prime minister.
She agreed, when Amer asked, if this was the first time she had been questioned about the STR.
Lee also agreed with Amer’s suggestion that since she had never been shown any report from the central bank regarding the matter, and no such document had been tendered in court, it would be improper to conclude that the transactions were unlawful.
Muhyiddin, 78, faces seven charges linked to his administration’s 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 allegedly solicit RM232.5 million in bribes for the party from three companies – Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, and Mamfor – as well as from Azman.
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 defence team also comprises Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Rosli Dahlan, Chetan Jethwani, K Kumaraendran, Kee Wei Loon, Low Wei Loke, Siti Summaiyah Ahmad Jaafar, Lee Yei Wei, Tang Jia Yearn and Joshua Tay.
The prosecution team comprises Wan Shaharuddin, Akram Gharib, Noralis Mat, Mahadi Jumaat, Alis Izzati Azurin Rusdi and Safari Abdullah.
The trial before Justice Noor Ruwena Nurdin continues tomorrow.
