KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Peter Anthony today testified that he did not deceive the Ministry of Finance (MoF), former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi over the support letter pertaining to the service and maintenance of the mechanical and electrical (M&E) system at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
The former Sabah infrastructure development minister told the sessions court here today that he also did not falsify the support letter.
Neither did he deceive the prosecution witnesses, namely, his friend Mohd Shukur Mohd Din; former UMS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International), Prof Shariff Abd Kadir Shariff Omang; Ulink Property Sdn Bhd former chairman, Datuk Abdullah Mohd Said and UMS former Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Mohd Harun Abdullah, he said.
Peter was being cross-examined by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on the second day of the court proceeding on the charge of falsifying the support letter.
Earlier, Najib as the 12th prosecution witness, testified that he felt angry over being deceived through the support letter for the M&E contract work at UMS which needed his approval, being given to Peter’s company.
Peter, 51, stated that he had direct access to Najib, who was the prime minister then due to his good relationship and close friendship with Najib’s chief private secretary, the late Datuk Azlin Alias.
Questioned by Shaharuddin whether he had personally met Najib to lobby for any project, Peter said yes, as his company is a registered construction company with a lot of workers.
Shaharuddin: So, Datuk (Peter) had an advantage over the other companies in getting a project as you had access to the prime minister to lobby for it.
Peter: Perhaps my company had the edge.
Peter, however, disagreed with the prosecution’s contention that there were companies quietly using a third party to get the M&E contract job through open tender.
Questioned by his counsel S. Devanandan on whether Peter and his company, Asli Jati Engineering, had any interest if he got the contract, he said it would not benefit his company solely but UMS too, without it providing the capital.
Peter’s personal driver, Imy Christopher, 36, testified that Shukor had never come to Peter’s office at Plaza Damai, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and that she had never met the man at the office.
Imy, the second defence witness, also testified that no one else besides her could use the computer at Peter’s office, as it had a password.
The hearing before judge Azura Alwi will continue on February 18.
Last December 14, the sessions court ordered Peter to make his defence against the charge of falsifying the support letter dated June 9, 2014 and purportedly from the UMS deputy vice-chancellor’s office for the purpose of cheating after the prosecution managed to prove a prima facie case against him.
He allegedly committed the offence at the late Azlin’s office, 5th Floor, Perdana Putra building, Putrajaya between June 13 and August 21, 2014.
The offence under Section 468 of the Penal Code provides for a jail term of up to seven years and a fine upon conviction. – Bernama, February 10, 2022
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