National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFC) former chairperson Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail testified that the accused mentioned Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s name when he pressured him to reveal the name of the ‘VVIP’.

Recalled yesterday to give evidence in the trial of businessman Shamsubahrin Ismail, the witness said he met the accused face-to-face for the first time at Sid’s Pub in Taman Tunku, Off Langkat Tunku in Kuala Lumpur in November 2011.

“I told him that I would not continue with our discussion if he didn’t  reveal the name of the VVIP. When he insisted he could not, I said, ‘Okay’, and got up to leave.

“It was only then that he revealed it was former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and asked me to sit down again,” said Mohamad Salleh, 66, in re-examination by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecution chief Abdul Razak Musa, who is now the Kelantan state government’s legal adviser.

Mohamad Salleh told the court that he would not have dealt with Shamsubahrin if he had known that the businessman was never sent by Dr Mahathir to assist him.

On Nov 26, 2013, the court ordered Shamsubahrin to enter his defence on five amended charges of cheating Mohamad Salleh involving RM1.755 million.

On the first count, Shamsubahrin allegedly misled Mohamad Salleh into believing that he was requested by Dr Mahathir to offer him consultant and counseling services, for which the victim agreed to pay RM2.75 million.

Shamsubahrin is accused of committing the offence at Sid’s Pub at H2, Taman Tunku, Off Langkat Tunku in Kuala Lumpur at 6 pm on Nov 20, 2011.

On the second to fifth counts, Shamsubahrin is accused of dishonestly telling Mohamad Salleh that he was asked by Dr Mahathir to assist and provide consultancy services to him.

He allegedly committed the offences at bank branches in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Petaling Jaya between Nov 25, 2011 and Dec 5, 2011.

The accused’s actions had allegedly induced Mohamad Salleh to hand over to him four cheques worth RM1.755 million for payment of part of the consultant and counselling services, and purportedly to pay police officers at the Commercial Crime CID at Bukit Perdana into closing a case being investigated by police involving NFC.  

Shamsubahrin is also facing 17 charges of money laundering involving RM1.755 million.

Asked by Razak whether he had made a background check on the accused, Mohamad Salleh said he did so only after sending an SMS to Perdana Leadership Foundation director Badariah Arshad, Dr Mahathir’s son, Mokhzani and a political secretary Saufi Yusof.

The witness said he did not enquire from the former prime minister personally.

‘I Thought he had been sent by Dr M’

Earlier, replying to Shamsubahrin’s counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Mohamad Salleh said it did not occur to him to check out Shamsubahrin’s background.

“At the time I regarded him to be well-intentioned as I thought he had been sent by Dr Mahathir to help me.

“We (NFC) were facing a lot of problems then and needed someone to help counter the opposition’s onslaught,” he said.

The trial before Judge Rozilah Salleh has been adjourned to March 17-18.

- Bernama