Former CFO ordered to expedite Felcra BOD RM150 million investment resolution

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra)'s group chief financial officer (CFO) told the Sessions Court today that he had received direct instructions from Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to expedite the board of directors' resolution on Felcra's RM150 million investment in Public Mutual Berhad's unit trusts.

Mohd Azmy Abu Samah, 54, said as an employee, he only followed the instructions given as Bung Moktar had approved his appointment as CFO at the agency.

"At that time, I still didn't understand there was a situation, that there was an office 'cold war' at Felcra. I didn't want to get involved because I was still new. Furthermore, the Felcra chairman (Bung) who approved my post as the CFO," said the 26th prosecution witness during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sophian Zakaria at the corruption trial involving Bung Moktar and his wife, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad.

In previous proceedings, Mohd Azmy told the court that chief investment officer (CIO) Datuk Zulkarnain Md Eusope had advised him on the 'cold war' between the old team and new team and there was a possibility that relation between the chairman (Bung Moktar) and the chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Ramlee Abu Bakar was not good.

Asked by Mohd Sophian what would happen if he did not follow Bung Moktar's instructions, Mohd Azmy replied, "At that time, I did not think about the matter at all.

When asked by Mohd Sophian whether the witness had met Bung Moktar and asked why he needed to get direct instructions from the politician, Mohd Azmy said he did not ask about the matter.

Touching on Felcra's investment in Public Mutual Berhad's unit trusts, Mohd Azmy said he had been advised not to report it as the investment proposal came from Bung Moktar.

Mohd Azmy in his testimony earlier, told the court that the Finance Ministry had agreed to approve Felcra's RM150 million investment in Public Mutual Berhad's unit trusts after examining three investment proposal papers submitted by Bung Moktar.

Asked by Mohd Sophian why Mohd Azmy did not report the development of the investment (Public Mutual unit trusts) to Ramlee (former CEO of Felcra), the witness replied, "Before the investment, it was not reported but after the investment was made, the matter was bought to the top management council (MPT) meeting.

In his reply to a question about his relationship with Bung Moktar's wife, Zizie Izette, Mohd Azmy explained that he did not have either a casual or professional relation because he had only met the actress twice and they had never talked.

According to Mohd Azmy, he also did not know about Zizie Izette's involvement in the investment (Public Mutual unit trusts) and had never discussed it with the actress.

Proceeding before Judge Rozina Ayob continues on April 8.

On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar, 64, pleaded not guilty to two charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra's approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.

Bung Moktar, who was the non-executive chairman of Felcra at the time, was accused of accepting bribes from Public Mutual Berhad's investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid through Zizie Izette at Public Bank's Taman Melawati branch here between 12.30 pm and 5 pm on June 12, 2015.

He also pleaded not guilty to accepting an RM335,500 cash bribe from Norhaili under the name of Zizie Izette for similar reasons, at the same place on June 19, 2015, while Zizie Izette, 44, pleaded not guilty to three charges of abetting her husband in the matter at the same place, date and time.

-- BERNAMA