Witness: minister’s minutes found in land purchase application letter

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KUALA LUMPUR: Former Deputy Director-General of Project Implementation and Maintenance of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Datuk Zulkifli Ibrahim told the High Court yesterday that there were minutes from the Minister of Federal Territories in the application letter of Syarikat Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd for the purchase of two lots oh land in Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur in 2015.

Datuk Zulkifli Ibrahim, 64, said the minute that said “Ybhg Dato Zul, Please Scrutinise the proposal and if possible for it to be implemented based on the partnership method.

Hoping for feedback, please discuss with the company (concerned)” this was written in the company’s application letter dated Jan 26, 2015.

Zulkifli, who confirmed that the Federal Territories Minister then was Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, said the application letter for the purchase of the two lots of land was for the construction of a housing project Federal Territories Affordable Home Policy (RUMAWIP) and freehold housing.

“Following the letter, I had issued a reply to the Senior Private Secretary of the Minister of Federal Territories namely Datuk Rahimi Rejab dated Feb 6 2015, informing that there were plans to build a hostel for DBKL Training Institute.

“In addition, the fifth paragraph (of the letter) stated that it was appropriate that the application be extended to the Deputy Director-General of Planning Ybhg Datuk Haji Mahadi bin Che Ngah for further action as the application involved the sale of DBKL land.

“Any disposal of DBKL land must take into consideration whatever plans there were on the land.

In this context, discussions and details on the planning and land use were left to the jurisdiction of Datuk Haji Mahadi bin Che Ngah and because of this, I stated that the application should be extended to him,” he said during examination in chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Julia Ibrahim.

Zulkifli, who is now retired, read his witness statement on the sixth day of the trial of Tengku Adnan who was charged as a public servant namely Minister of Federal Territories who received for himself money amounting to RM2 million from businessman, Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong via a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to the company Aset Kayamas which was deposited into the CIMB Bank account belonging to Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd in which he had interest, it was known that the company Aset Kayamas had ties with his official duties.

He was charged with committing the offence at CIMB Bank Berhad, Pusat Bandar Damansara branch, here on June 14 2016, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides imprisonment of up to two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.

Zulkifli subsequently confirmed that after the letter to Rahimi was issued, he had no further knowledge on the purchase of the land.

Upon cross-examination by counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan representing Tengku Adnan, the 13th prosecution witness agreed with the counsel that the minute by the minister was merely up to the proposal for consideration by him (Zulkifli) and if possible for it to be implemented.

“I consider this (minute) suggestion from the minister for consideration,” he said.

“Agreed or not, it is not necessarily that the minute by obeyed,” said Tan.

“Agreed, because he (the minister) ordered for a study.” Zulkifli replied.

“Although there was a minute from the minister, your action was proper because you informed that it had to comply with the DBKL process,” said Tan and the witness replied: “True”.

Earlier, the 12th prosecution witness Kuala Lumpur Datuk Bandar special officer, Mohd Jasni Jamaludin, 32, said he had issued an official letter from the Economic Planning and Development Department (JPEPP) titled ‘The Sale of Immovable Asset Belonging to DBKL Datuk Bandar on Lot 53427 and Lot 53653 at Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur to Messrs Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd – Application For Land Ownership Title dated August 5 2016’ to the Property Valuation and Management Department (JPPH) DBKL.

He said the objective of the letter was to inform that the company Aset Kayamas had obtained a loan of RM16 million from CIMB Bank Bhd for the settlement of the balance of the price for both lots of land to JPPH so that the original ownership title of the land was submitted to the representative of the company.

The hearing before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues today. — Bernama