KUALA LUMPUR (March 25): The Sessions Court was told on Monday that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) determined whether the Programme for the Empowerment of Competent Bumiputera Contractors (Jana Wibawa) approval was via direct negotiation of a pre-qualified open tender.

Former Finance Ministry (MOF) Government Procurement Division deputy secretary Rosni Mohd Yusoff, 52, told the court that it was instructions from the PMO to the MOF.

“For Jana Wibawa, it is definitely determined by the PMO for implementation via direct negotiation or pre-qualified open tender. The projects are listed for evaluation by the procurement division, including certain companies and the implementation method,” she said during the main examination by deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Azmi on the first day of Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan’s corruption and money laundering trial in front of judge Rozina Ayob.

Rosni said that under the open tender process, five to six names (of companies) were sent to the contractor assessment committee that she chaired together with the technical team comprising of several ministries.

“(MOF) officers assessed companies under the Jana Wibawa project provided by the MOF. After my officer processed and assessed the project, it would be brought to a committee that I chaired… after obtaining the names of the companies, we would bring it to the finance minister. The decision will be given to the Public Works Ministry’s secretary general for further evaluation,” the third prosecution witness said, adding that the assessment would be based on compliance of conditions as well as the financial and technical capabilities of the company.

Wan Saiful, 47, is charged with soliciting bribes from Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement for him to assist Nepturis Sdn Bhd in obtaining the RM232 million Central Spine Road: Sertik to the East Coast Expressway Intersection project and also with receiving RM6,962,694.54 in cash via a CIMB Bank Bhd account owned by his company WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd from Nepturis’ Maybank Islamic Bhd account as a fee for assisting the company to obtain the project’s acceptance letter.

The Tasek Gelugor MP allegedly committed both offences at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana here in April 2022 and at the CIMB Bank Bhd Bukit Tunku branch between July 8 and Sept 30, 2022.

He is also facing 18 charges of money laundering involving RM5.59 million by transferring and using the illegal proceeds to pay for a Ford Ranger, payments to the National Sports Council, and transferring the money to several company accounts, including one owned by Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd.

The offences were all allegedly committed at the CIMB Bank Bhd Bukit Tunku branch here between Aug 12 and Nov 13, 2022 under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. 

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