NAJIB Razak told the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today he was angry at being deceived over a letter of support for a mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems maintenance and operation contract at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to be awarded to a company owned by Peter Anthony.

The former prime minister said Zaki Azmi, who was then the chairman of the UMS board of directors during a meeting at Parliament, informed him that UMS had never issued a letter or given any support and agreement to award the contract to Anthony’s company, namely Syarikat Asli Jati Engineering Sdn Bhd.

“I was angry at the time, because I felt I had been deceived as the contents of the letter delivered to me were contrary to the real intentions of the university,” he said when reading out his witness statement on the eighth day of the trial against Anthony, who was charged with using false documents in connection with the said contract.

Najib, 67, who was then the prime minister and finance minister, said the letter dated June 9, 2014, was received from UMS.

“The letter was signed by the then deputy vice-chancellor (academic and international affairs) of UMS, Prof Dr Shariff Abd Kadir Shariff Omang on behalf of the vice-chancellor with regard to the ‘Operation and Maintenance of the M&E System at the Phase 2B Building, Building and Infra at the Main Campus (FPL /Sikuati Outpatient Treatment Centre, Kudat) and Other Buildings at Universiti Malaysia Sabah – For Five Years’,” he said.

The 12th prosecution witness said the letter also stated the university had no reservations in supporting the cooperation between ULink Property Sdn Bhd – a wholly owned subsidiary of UMS – and Asli Jati to carry out the contract works.

“The university also requested my approval l for this ‘smart partnership’,” he said.

Najib said he was informed by Zaki that UMS had in fact appointed REMT Utama Sdn Bhd for the operation and maintenance of the M&E system at the university through an open tender agreed by the university’s board of directors.

Asked by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin whether he felt suspicious when he saw the signature of the deputy vice-chancellor (Shariff) in the letter of support, the witness said: “Not at all.”

However, Najib said if he had known that the letter of support did not get approval from the then vice-chancellor of UMS, Prof Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah, he would not have “entertained” the letter.

Asked by Wan Shaharudin whether Najib as the then finance minister was negligent in approving the contract, the latter replied: “No, I accepted the application in good faith.”

Wan Shaharuddin: In this case, did Najib correct the mistake (regarding the approval of the letter of support)?

Najib: Yes, I did correct it, that’s why I cancelled the original decision (to approve the project) and supported the decision of UMS’ board of directors.

Wan Shaharuddin: If you did not receive information or advice from Zaki, would you have made the correction?

Najib: If I did not receive advice or information from Zaki, I would not have known that a fraud has taken place.

Wan Shaharuddin: What made you come to court today and testify?

Najib: I do not like acts of fraud committed by any party. This is because I want to protect my reputation and the government, and in this case, UMS.

Meanwhile, former treasury secretary-general, Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, 64, who is the 13th prosecution witness, said he was not involved in any evaluation, support or approval process for the project.

Anthony, 50, as the managing director of Asli Jati Sdn Bhd, was charged with forging a letter from the UMS deputy vice-chancellor’s office dated June 9, 2014, by inserting a false statement in the title of the letter with the intention of using it to deceive the office of the principal private secretary to the prime minister at the Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya between June 13, 2014, and August 21, 2014.

He was also alternatively charged, as the managing director of Asli Jati Sdn Bhd, over the use of a false document as genuine, namely a letter from the office of the deputy vice-chancellor of UMS dated June 9, 2014, which had a false statement in the title of the letter, and he had reason to believe that the document is false, at the same place and time.

The trial before judge Azura Alwi continues on July 26. – Bernama, May 19, 2021.