SMSes from 'Datuk Sham' to Shahrizat's secretary

The private secretary to former Women, Family and Community Development minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she received several short-messaging service (SMSes) from a 'Datuk Sham' in mid-November last year.

Datuk Roziyah Mohd Yusoff, 54, told the Sessions Court here today, that Shahrizat was with her when she received the SMSes while they were in Medina to perform the Umrah in the Holy Land.

"The (first) SMS stated that 'Datuk Sham' was instructed by "higher-ups" to help Shahrizat's husband. After receiving similar SMSes several times from the same person, I advised Shahrizat to call 'Datuk Sham', she said during examination-in-chief by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) head of prosecution unit Datuk Abdul Razak Musa.

Roziyah was the 16th prosecution witness at the trial of businessman Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail, who was charged with 17 counts of money laundering amounting to RM1.755 million, under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

Shamsubahrin, 46, is also facing five charges under the Penal Code, of cheating former National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail into agreeing to pay him (Shamsubahrin) a fee for the same sum last year, in return for advisory and consulting services.