KOTA KINABALU (Oct 23): A Sessions Court here today heard that it was a “senseless allegation” against a former deputy director of the Sabah Water Department (JANS) that he had offered bribe money to a former Infrastructure Development Minister.
Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 69, testified before Judge Abu Bakar Manat, stressing that the allegation was baseless when questioned by his counsel during examination-in-chief.
“No, it was a senseless allegation,” said Lim in response to a question from his counsel, Datuk Tan Hock Chuan.
Lim was asked about a claim made by former JANS deputy director and 29th prosecution witness, Teo Chee Kong, who alleged that both he and Lim had met then-Minister of Infrastructure Development, Datuk Raymond Tan, during which Lim had purportedly offered bribe money.
Asked why he considered the allegation senseless, Lim replied: “Because how can a civil servant like me propose a bribe to a minister? It is against government procedures.”
He also denied Teo’s claim that a bribe was intended for Raymond.
“That is not true. I never suggested any bribe to be given to YB Datuk Raymond Tan,” he said.
Lim explained that at the time, Raymond was the minister overseeing the Sabah Water Department, Public Works Department, Railway and Port.
He said he only knew Raymond through official meetings and had introduced Teo to the minister to ensure smoother communication, as Teo was the Kota Kinabalu divisional water engineer.
Lim is jointly on trial with former JANS director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 63, and Fauziah Hj Piut, 58, on multiple money laundering charges.
Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah have completed their defence, having given sworn and unsworn evidence respectively.
Lim is accused of committing the offences at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office at Jalan UMS and at a house in Kota Kinabalu between October 13 and November 8, 2016.
Ag Mohd Tahir faces 11 charges, while Fauziah faces 19 charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA). Both also face two joint charges under the same section, while Ag Mohd Tahir has an additional charge under Section 4(1)(a).
The alleged offences were said to have occurred at his office, a house in Sembulan, several bank branches, a condominium, and locations in Sulaman and Kuala Lumpur between October 4 and November 4, 2016.
Yesterday, Lim testified that he had no authority to award or approve contracts and had never personally dealt with contractors during his tenure.
He told the court that he served as JANS deputy director from 2004 until his retirement in February 2014, and was reappointed on contract for another year until February 2015.
Lim joined the Public Works Department in 1976 and later served in various divisions under JANS, including Beaufort, Kota Kinabalu, and Kota Marudu, before being promoted to deputy director in 2004.
He also testified that he is married with five children, and that his wife, Lee Shuk Lan, held a 25 per cent stake in Jebamilek Sdn Bhd, which sold a parcel of land in Penampang in 2004 for RM6 million. Her share amounted to RM1,125,000, which he said was duly declared in the state government’s borang perisytiharan harta (property declaration form).
The prosecution is conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Haresh Prakash Somiah, and Zander Lim.
Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah are represented by Datuk Hj Ansari Abdullah and Erveana Ansari, while Baldev Singh and Kelvin Wong represent Lim.
The trial continues on October 24.
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