KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu lawmaker Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan was never involved in decisions on awarding project tenders under the Jana Wibawa scheme, a witness told the sessions court here today.
The seventh prosecution witness, Datuk Seri Zulkipeli Yamat, who was formerly of the Public Works Department (PWD) said this to defence lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad during cross-examination before sessions court judge Rozina Ayob in Wan Saiful’s corruption trial.
Zulkipeli added he had never contacted nor personally known the Tasek Gelugor MP, nor had he heard any complaints about the accused decision “tampering”.
However, Zulkipeli told the court he did not know if Wan Saiful was involved in Finance Ministry committee meetings on Jana Wibawa, a scheme to help Bumiputera contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The committee meetings included the Works Ministry’s Procurement Board which eventually decided to award a project tender to Nepturis Sdn Bhd.
The charge against Wan Saiful alleged that he solicited a bribe as an inducement to help Nepturis secure a project involving the Central Spine Road.
Deputy public prosecutor Nor Diana Nor Azwa, during the re-examination, then asked Zulkipeli why he had no knowledge of Wan Saiful’s involvement in the Finance Ministry committee meetings or the Works Ministry’s Procurement Board.
“Because these meetings involve the Works’ Ministry Procurement Board, which is beyond my jurisdiction,” Wan Saiful replied.
Zulkipeli, 60, the former director of PWD’s quantity surveying services in the contracts and quantity surveying branch, had earlier confirmed in court that Nepturis was granted a project tender under the Jana Wibawa programme.
He said Nepturis was one of the three companies screened and vetted by the Finance Ministry before being shortlisted and recommended for the pre-qualification tender award process.
The other two companies that made the cut at that time were CKJ Management Services Sdn Bhd and MCS Management Sdn Bhd.
“These three companies were shortlisted because they passed the requirements needed, including earning more than three stars on the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) assessment.
“Nepturis earned four stars while the other three companies earned three stars each.
“(Furthermore) Nepturis had then won a tender under Jana Wibawa because the company offered a lower hiring price than the other two companies during the price bid,” Zulkipeli said.
During price bidding, Nepturis offered a fee of RM236,160,468. Meanwhile, CKJ Management Services offered RM236,945,478 and MCS Management offered RM236,500,000, he added.
The witness also agreed that the project was finally tagged at RM232 million, based on the agreement inked by Nepturis and the government.
Yesterday, Zulkipeli testified that the Finance Ministry would often send a list of contractors to PWD to consider appointing for construction projects under the Jana Wibawa programme, which was introduced when Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was prime minister.
Zulkipeli also testified in his witness statement that there were two types of contract procurement for contractors under Jana Wibawa – direct negotiations and pre-qualification tender awards.
He is one of 50 prosecution witnesses testifying against Wan Saiful, who faces two charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM6.9 million from an individual named Lian Tan Chuan involving the Jana Wibawa project.
The sum was said to be an inducement for him to help Nepturis secure the Central Spine Road Sertik East Coast Motorway Interchange project from the government worth RM232 million.
He also faces another 18 money laundering charges involving RM5.59 million, including payments to buy a Ford Ranger, payments to the Malaysian National Sports Council, and transferring money to several companies, including Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd.
The trial continues on June 19. – May 21, 2024