Butterworth Sessions Court President Ikmal Hishan Mohd Tajuddin today issued a warrant of arrest for a company director who failed to turn-up as a witness in a money-laundering case involving a former minister's political secretary.

Bina Puri Holdings director Tan Cheng Kiat, 67, failed thrice to attend court as a prosecution witness in the case of Hasbie Satar ( in orange, pix below ) who was charged in 2011 for money-laundering involving some RM2.1 million.

Lead prosecutor DPP Anselm Charles Fernandis said Tan had written a letter dated March 31 to say he was not fit to attend court.

"However, we have not received any medical certificate to back his claim and this is the third time he failed to turn up in court," Fernandis said.

"We want an arrest warrant be issued to bring him to court," he said.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Investigation Officer Farid Jabar said he had handed over the court subpoena to Tan in person on March 24.

"The subpoena was handed to him in a cafe in at the Petaling Jaya Hilton Hotel," Farid told the court when questioned by Fernandis.

Farid said the subpoena which was handed to Tan stated that he has to be present at the Butterworth Sessions Court as prosecution witness on April 7 (today) and 8.

With this, Roslan agreed to issue the warrant of arrest.

Five years' imprisonment

Hasbie, 42, was in the dock clad in a white shirt and grey pants and sporting a pony tail. His trial at the Sessions Court is continuing after his appeals to higher courts failed . 

Hasbie was former political secretary to former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Planning Unit) Nor Mohamed Yakcop (right ).

He was alleged to have accepted gifts and gratification from an agent between April 16, 2007 and Aug 13, 2009 at an apartment in Teluk Air Tawar on Feb 11, 2010.

Hasbie has claimed trial to charges under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

If convicted, he faces a maximum five years’ imprisonment or fine up to RM5 million or both.

On Apr 3, 2012, the court heard that Hasbie was the contact person listed on a document containing a list of nine federal government projects.

The prosecution team also comprises DPP Hazril Harun and Pang Chuin Keat. Hasbie is represented by counsel Y Sheelan Samuagam from Shafee Abdullah & Co.