Bung Moktar Says No Report Filed On Wife Receiving RM2.8 Mln As Case Under MACC Probe

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin told the Sessions Court here today that he did not lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) or the police regarding the RM2.8 million received by his wife, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, as the matter was already under MACC investigation.

The Kinabatangan MP, however, disagreed with deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How’s suggestion that failing to file a report could have a significant impact on him.

The first defence witness also rejected the prosecution’s suggestion that filing a report could have helped clear his name.

“No, Your Honour, because we were being investigated under the MACC Act,” said Bung Moktar, 65, at the defence trial of him and Zizie Izette on three corruption charges totalling RM2.8 million.

When asked by Law whether he agreed that his wife had never returned RM2.8 million to Public Mutual investment agent Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar or Felcra Berhad, the Sabah BN chairman said he was unsure.

Bung Moktar also agreed with the prosecution that he never instructed his wife to return the RM2.8 million to Norhaili or Felcra Berhad, as the matter was still under investigation.

Meanwhile, Bung Moktar told the court that he had no knowledge of Zizie Izette receiving RM2.8 million from Norhaili.

Law: Do you agree that you supposedly discovered that Datin Seri Zizie Izette received RM2.8 million from Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar while you were being investigated by the MACC and that you must have been angry and upset then?

Bung Moktar:  There is no such notion as ‘supposedly’. I truly did not know. I was shocked and surprised by what had happened.

On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar, who was then the non-executive chairman of Felcra Berhad, was charged with two counts of receiving RM2.2 million and RM262,500 in bribes as inducement to secure approval for Felcra’s RM150 million investment in Public Mutual unit trusts.

He was accused of receiving the bribes from Public Mutual investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid through his wife, Zizie Izette, 46, at Public Bank Berhad, Taman Melawati branch here, on June 12 and 19, 2015.

Bung Moktar also faces a separate charge of corruptly obtaining RM337,500 in cash from another Public Mutual investment agent, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, through the Public Ittikal Sequel Fund (PITSEQ) account registered under Zizie Izette’s name, for the same purpose.

The charges were framed under Subsection 17(a) of the MACC 2009 Act, which provides for a prison term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Zizie Izette faces three charges of abetting her husband in connection with the same matters at the same places, dates, and times, under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The trial before Judge Rosli Ahmad resumes tomorrow.

--BERNAMA