Businessman Azman Yusoff claimed that ex-prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin told him after a golf tournament in July 2020 that Bumiputera Contractors’ Association of Malaysia members could contribute directly to Bersatu. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Questions over the date of a golf event linked to an alleged meeting between former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and businessman Azman Yusoff continued today, with a witness testifying that the pair played golf together on July 19, 2020.
Tropicana Golf & Country Resort group security head S Saravanan, 55, told the High Court in Muhyiddin’s corruption trial that records in the club’s computer system showed that the Bersatu president took part in a golf game involving 14 other players that day.
The names listed on the green fee tags were Natan, Shahran, Syed Hafiz, Esa, Tony, Azman, Adlan, Faliq, Shahjuan, CDR Sharif, Noor Zilan, Adam, Rashid and Jared Ethan.
Azman, who is president of the Bumiputera Contractors’ Association (PKBM), previously testified that after a golf tournament at the club in July 2020, Muhyiddin spontaneously told him that PKBM members wishing to contribute to Bersatu could donate directly to the party instead of to individual party leaders.
However, Muhyiddin’s counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad challenged Azman’s account, saying the only golf tournament organised under the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Charity Golf in 2020 was held in October.
During examination-in-chief, deputy public prosecutor Khairunnisa Hazwani Omar asked Saravanan to describe the golf game on July 19, 2020.
“Usually, when played in a small group, we call it a friendly game. On the other hand, a tournament refers to a big group comprising between 40 and 160 players. In this case, there were 15 players,” he said.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Chetan Jethwani, Saravanan said a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigating officer had visited the club to determine the date on which Azman and Muhyiddin had played golf together.
Chetan noted that Saravanan had joined the club only on Nov 3, 2020, nearly four months after the golf game, and had relied solely on information in the club’s computer system.
Chetan: You can’t be sure about the accuracy of the information in the system?
Saravanan: I cannot.
Chetan: I am saying to you, it can be modified.
Saravanan: I am not sure about that.
Asked whether the IT department was responsible for the overall system, Saravanan said it was supervised by his department and the golf department, while IT was only consulted when technical problems arose.
Meanwhile, another deputy public prosecutor, Nuralis Mat, told the court that the prosecution would not call former Segambut Bersatu deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad to testify, although his name had been mentioned several times during the trial.
Muhyiddin, 79, is charged with four counts of abusing his position to solicit RM225.3 million in bribes for the party from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, Azman, and KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd.
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.
He is alleged to have committed the offences between March 1, 2020, and July 8, 2022.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin leads the prosecution team.
The trial before Justice Noor Ruwena Nurdin continues tomorrow.