Former Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) executive secretary Alias Abu Bakar today confirmed that ex-Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo chaired several meetings of the state-owned corporation’s board and its Project Privatisation Committee between 2000 and 2008 while he was MB.

khir toyo mansion 060709 Alias, who attended the meetings in his capacity as executive secretary, confirmed that he recorded all the minutes of the said meetings.

The minutes of the meetings attested to by Alias were entered as evidence by the prosecution, who referred to those documents when questioning former PKNS general manager Harun Salim.

Harun was questioned yesterday pertaining to Khir’s possible involvement in the dealings pertaining to PKNS projects awarded to a company owned by Ditamas director Shamsuddin Hayroni.

However, Harun maintained that Khir’s involvement only amounted to “consultations” as procedurally the Project Privatisation Committees handled most project management matters.

Alias was one of six new witnesses and one recalled witnesses who took the stand in this morning’s session.

Proceedings took a slight downturn as the prosecution in Khir’s corruption trial turned to chain of evidence housekeeping, mainly calling witnesses to attest to documents that were tendered as evidence in prior testimony.

Witnesses verify various documents

In addition to Alias, three more PKNS employees were called to the stand today to verify various documents.

PKNS secretary Norita Mohd Sidek also confirmed today that according to clause nine of the state enactment that empowered the formation of the PKNS, all staff, workers and board members are to be considered state government employees.

khir toyo mansion 060709 06 Others called included the lawyer who prepared the agreements and power of attorney for Khir’s loan from HSBC bank to purchase the mansion and properties located on lot 8 and 10 off Jalan Suasa in Section 7 Shah Alam, the accountant who administered the client accounts for the firm that represented Khir in his loan and the HSBC officer who handled the former MB’s loan application.

Norman Chuah, who was the HSBC PJ branch premier centre manager in 2007 and handled Khir’s loan, agreed in his testimony that the results of the valuation by bank panel Rahim & Co on the property were completed before the sales and purchase agreement was signed on the deal.

Rahim & Co valued the mansion and land to be at RM3.5 million, a price at which Khir subsequently bought the property from Shamsuddin.

Shamsuddin testified that the price was too low and he had to sell as he feared for his ongoing projects with PKNS where Khir was chairman, the prosecution alleging that Khir’s huge discount on the property that an MACC commissioned valuation stated to be worth RM5.5 million was a form of a bribe that he got via abuse of his position as a civil servant.

Prosecution ploughs through CCM documents