A COMPANY director who donated RM1 million to Bersatu after being approached by a businessman told the High Court that former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin never personally asked him for money for himself or the party.
Metrasys Sdn Bhd director Lian Tan Chuan, 55, made the admission during cross-examination by lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad in Muhyiddin’s corruption trial.
Lian also agreed that he had never met or discussed the matter with Muhyiddin before instructing his business partner, Aliza Abd Malek, to prepare letters of interest for five companies seeking projects under the Jana Wibawa programme.
Amer Hamzah: There was never any discussion between you and Tan Sri Muhyiddin before you instructed Aliza to issue letters of interest for all five companies, including Nepturis Sdn Bhd, which you founded, correct?
Lian: Correct.
Amer Hamzah: Since there was no discussion between you and Tan Sri Muhyiddin, I put it to you that Tan Sri Muhyiddin never asked you for any contribution for himself or for the Bersatu party, correct?
Lian: Correct.
Amer Hamzah: You have explained the preparation of the five letters of interest. I put it to you that no one knew who was behind those letters, correct?
Lian: Correct.
Lian had earlier testified that Bersatu Segambut deputy division chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad asked him to prepare application letters and company profiles to be submitted to Muhyiddin to obtain a supporting minute for the pre-qualification of the Klang Utara District Police Headquarters project in Selangor.
After discussing the proposal with business partners Mohd Rizman Akum Khan and Aliza, Lian said they agreed to pursue the project, prompting him to ask Aliza to prepare five application letters for five companies.
He said Adam Radlan later informed him that Muhyiddin had minuted his support for the company's application.
However, during re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Lian acknowledged that businessman Datuk Azman Yusoff and Adam Radlan had asked him for a contribution to Bersatu.
He said the RM1 million contribution was made after Nepturis received a Letter of Acceptance from the Public Works Department on Jan 12, 2022, for the Klang Utara police headquarters project.
According to Lian, Azman requested the contribution because Nepturis had secured the project.
Lian also told the court that he had no intention of deceiving the Finance Ministry or the Government to obtain a project under Jana Wibawa.
He said he had never previously applied for government projects because opportunities for non-Bumiputera companies were more limited than those available to Bumiputera companies.
Lian said he wanted to keep Metrasys as a business for himself and his wife, which led to the establishment of Nepturis.
However, he said Construction Industry Development Board requirements prevented his name from being registered with both companies.
"For example, if my name is already registered with Metrasys, my name cannot be registered with Nepturis.
"If it were registered as well, it would be rejected and Nepturis would not be able to obtain a G7 (licence) and Bumiputera status," he said.
In earlier proceedings, Aliza testified that she and Mohd Rizman, who is also Nepturis' managing director, took over the company from Lian in 2018 before being appointed directors, each holding a 50 per cent stake.
She said Lian retained a 30 per cent shareholding in Nepturis because its capital had been injected by Metrasys.
Lian had previously testified that he believed Muhyiddin played a role in helping his company secure a RM141 million project under Jana Wibawa.
He said this belief led him to contribute RM1 million to Bersatu at Azman's request. Azman is also managing director of construction company KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd.
Lian said he believed Muhyiddin had played a role because Nepturis' initial application letter was submitted to Muhyiddin for support before being forwarded to the Finance Ministry for evaluation.
He said he believed the application would not have reached the Finance Ministry for processing and assessment if Muhyiddin had not supported it.
The trial before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin continues tomorrow. - August 20, 2026
