In his brief testimony, Deepak said Azmin's comments were "dark and nasty", used to excite the ceramah-goers. An example, Deepak said, was saying that he was friends with Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 13): A local egg-importer company that is suing Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali for defamation has stressed that there were no tenders or direct negotiation in getting the contract to import eggs as a temporary measure to plug a domestic shortage.

J&E Advance Tech Sdn Bhd general manager Rajesh Jaikishan said that the company went through a transparent application process made by the Malaysian Department of Veterinary Services to meet domestic egg supply.

"There was no tender or direct negotiation. A transparent application was made to the Veterinary Department to import eggs due to the shortage," said Rajesh at the start of the civil trial in the High Court here on Monday.

The company is suing Azmin over his comments that the company had obtained a contract through direct negotiation with the government to import eggs from India as a temporary measure to meet a domestic shortage.

In the alleged comments made during a political ceramah in March last year, the former international trade and industry minister allegedly insinuated that the company had clinched the contract through direct negotiation.

Azmin did not name the company specifically, but allegedly made comments about businessman Deepak Jaikishan's involvement in the project to import eggs, and questioned the quality of the imported poultry products.

Rajesh, who is Deepak's brother, testified on Monday that processes were in place to ensure that the eggs were of quality, saying that the company had to go through a tedious process to ensure that the imported products were on a par with all regulations in place.

'Due process followed'

"Stringent requirements were fulfilled in relation to the regulations by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) in India, and likewise by the Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, and Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) in Malaysia, to ensure that [the eggs were free from disease and complied with all veterinary certificate for egg consignments]," Rajesh said in his witness statement.

He also added that if anything were amiss with the quality of the eggs, the company would have to destroy them at their own expense.

On the stand as the plaintiff's first witness, Rajesh testified that the eggs were of the same quality exported to the Middle East.

The 50-year-old also testified that although the company's name was not mentioned, there was information in the public domain that his company was the sole importer of eggs from India.

Rajesh said that as a result of Azmin's comments, the company had suffered losses, as their major purchasers, NSK Trade City Sdn Bhd and Mydin, stopped purchasing the imported eggs from J&E.

He also asserted several times on Monday that his brother had no relationship with the company, and that J&E had gone through the due process in obtaining the contract and ensuring the quality of the products.

During cross-examination by Azmin's counsel Nizamuddin Hamid, Rajesh also denied that Azmin's comments were targeted at government policies for procurement and not J&E.

He also disagreed that Azmin's statements were in the form of questions to be addressed by the current government.

Nizamuddin (right), representing Azmin, cross-examined Rajesh on Monday.

J&E was represented by Weera Premananda.

Deepak: 'Azmin's comments dark and nasty'

Rajesh's brother, Deepak, also took the stand on Monday as a witness subpoenaed by the plaintiff.

In his brief testimony, he said that Azmin's comments were "dark and nasty", used to excite the ceramah-goers. An example, Deepak said, was saying that he was friends with Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of jailed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"Everyone knows she is [my] mortal foe. She had destroyed my business," he said.

The businessman also said that he learned about Azmin's comments from the net and was hurt, as the comments were made on his birthday.

He also echoed his brother's testimony that there was no tender, but rather a supply approval given to J&E.

Judicial Commissioner Leong Wai Hong, who was presiding over the case, had to remind parties several times that Deepak was not a party in this legal suit.

The trial continues on Friday, with Azmin slated to take the stand. The former Selangor menteri besar is scheduled to be the only witness for the defence.