Peter Anthony trial: Disciplinary action taken against two UMS senior officers - Witness

Mohd Harun said the disciplinary action was taken against Datuk Abdullah Mohd Said and Prof Dr Shariff Abd Kadir Shariff Omang, as the letters were issued without his knowledge as the then vice-chancellor, to the extent of enabling the company to get the Ministry of Finance's approval.

The letters were dated June 9, June 10 and July 11, 2014.

"They signed the letters purportedly issued by the university to the Ministry of Finance in support of Asli Jati Engineering Sdn Bhd (belonging to Peter) in connection with the maintenance and services work for mechanical and electrical (ME) systems contract at the university," he said.

The 10th prosecution witness said this during cross-examination by lawyer Datuk D. Senthinathan representing Peter, who is also the former Sabah Minister of Infrastructure Development cum managing director of Asli Jati Engineering Sdn Bhd, who is facing the charges of using false documents relating to a system maintenance contract.

Mohd Harun, 60, said following the incident, Abdullah, who formerly held the post of UMS Registrar, was transferred to UMS wholly-owned subsidiary, Ulink Property Sdn Bhd, as its chairman in 2015.

"Prof Dr Shariff Abd Kadir Shariff Omang, on the other hand, was asked to resign as UMS deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International).

"However, I did not lodge a police report on their action as I have sought the advice of UMS legal officer, which saw the disciplinary action taken against them," the witness said.

Peter, 50, as the managing director of Asli Jati Engineering Sdn Bhd, is charged with forging a letter from the UMS deputy vice chancellor's office dated June 9, 2014, by inserting a false statement in the title of the letter with the intention of using it to deceive the office of the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister at the Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya between June 13, 2014, and Aug 21, 2014.

He was also charged on the optional charge over the use of a false document as genuine, namely a letter from the office of the deputy vice-chancellor of UMS dated June 9, 2014, which had a false statement in the title of the letter, and he had reason to believe that the document is false, in the same place and time.

The trial before Judge Azura Alwi continues on Aug 23.