The founder of a company allegedly targeted by a “corporate mafia” takeover scheme took the stand at the Kuala Lumpur High Court this week, describing a conspiracy coordinated through a WhatsApp group called “soldier boys” - and a gun threat he claims was made against him at a Kuala Lumpur restaurant.

In his witness statements, GIIB Holdings Berhad (GHB) founder Tai Boon Wee described how he was introduced to defendants Yee Voon Hon and Wong Weng Yew in 2020 – an encounter he says set in motion a shareholding battle and a campaign to depress GHB’s share price through manipulated media coverage.

Tai claimed a group of individuals - including Yee and Wong - conspired to...