Peter Anthony denies deceiving the Finance Ministry, Najib and Tun Zaki over support letter to UMS

KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Peter Anthony testified that he did not deceive the Finance Ministry, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi over the support letter pertaining to the service and maintenance of the mechanical and electrical (M&E) system at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

The former Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister told the Sessions Court on Thursday that he also did not falsify the support letter.

Neither did he deceive the prosecution witnesses, namely, his friend Mohd Shukur Mohd Din; former UMS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International), Prof Dr Shariff Abd Kadir Shariff Omang; Ulink Property Sdn Bhd former chairman, Datuk Abdullah Mohd Said and UMS former Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah, he said.

Anthony was being cross-examined by deputy public prosecutor, Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on the second day of the court proceeding at the defence stage on the charge of falsifying the support letter.

Earlier, Najib as the 12th prosecution witness, testified that he felt angry over being deceived through the support letter for the M&E contract work at UMS which needed his approval, being given to Anthony’s company.

Anthony, 51, stated that he had direct access to Najib, who was the prime minister then due to his good relationship and close friendship with Najib’s chief private secretary, the late Datuk Azlin Alias.

Questioned by Wan Shaharuddin whether he had personally met Najib to lobby for any project, Anthony said yes as his company is a registered construction company with a lot of workers.

Wan Shaharuddin: So, Datuk (Anthony) had an advantage over the other companies in getting a project as you had access to the prime minister to lobby for it.

Anthony: Perhaps my company had the edge.

The accused however disagreed with the prosecution’s contention that there were companies quietly using a third party to get the M&E contract job through open tender.

Questioned by his counsel, S. Devanandan whether he and his company, Asli Jati Engineering had any interest if he got the contract, Anthony said it would not benefit his company solely but UMS too, without it providing the capital.

Anthony’s personal driver, Imy Christopher, 36, testified that Mohd Shukor had never come to Anthony’s office at Plaza Damai in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and that she had never met the man at the office.

Imy, the second defence witness, also testified that no one else besides her could use the computer at Anthony’s office as it had a password.

The hearing before judge Azura Alwi will continue on Feb 18.

On Dec 14, last year, the Sessions Court ordered Anthony to make his defence against the charge of falsifying the support letter dated June 9, 2014, purportedly from the UMS Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s office for the purpose of cheating after the prosecution managed to prove a prima facie case against him.

He allegedly committed the offence at the late Azlin’s office, on the 5th Floor of the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya between June 13 and Aug 21, 2014.

The offence under Section 468 of the Penal Code provides for a jail term of up to seven years and a fine upon conviction. - BERNAMA