A WITNESS told the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today that he did not know former Labuan MP Rozman Isli had an interest in Labuan Liberty Port Management Sdn Bhd (LLPM).

Labuan Port Authority (LPL) former board member Simsudin Sidek, 53, said at the LPL board meeting held at Hotel Le Meridien, KL Sentral, on July 25, 2019, Rozman never declared his father, Isli Siput @ Ali, and younger brother Tony Noolan were shareholders of the company.

The 13th prosecution witness said he and Rozman were members of the LPL board present at the meeting to discuss the appointment proposal paper in the port operator selection process.

“The meeting was also informed that the management had received feedback from three companies – Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd, Labuan; LLPM; and LP Multi Terminal Sdn Bhd – regarding technical and cost proposal papers,” he said.

“The chairman of the meeting, Chan Foong Hin, informed that he received a letter from the transport minister regarding the appeal by LLPM to be the port operator of the terminal for a period of 10 years, in addition to receiving several applications from other companies interested in becoming the operator of the Labuan port.”  

Simsudin was reading his witness statement at the trial of Rozman, who is facing charges of using his position to obtain bribes, namely a contract as an operator of the Labuan Port Liberty Wharf for LLPM, in which his father and younger brother have an interest.

Simsudin said on December 12, 2019, the LPL board meeting held at Hotel Le Meridien in Putrajaya called four companies – Johor Port Bhd, Straits Inter Logistics Bhd and LLPM – for a presentation and question-and-answer session.

“In that session, Rozman was present, and only declared that he had no interest in the Labuan Malay Chamber of Commerce because he was no longer the president of the chamber,” he said.

Simsudin agreed with the suggestion of Rozman’s counsel, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, that the politician did not try to make or influence the decision in any meeting to appoint LLPM as the operator of the port terminal.

Rozman, 57, is accused of having used his position as an official of a public body, namely the deputy chairman of LPL, to obtain the bribe at the TKSU meeting room, level 9, Transport Ministry, Jalan Tun Hussein, Precinct 4, Putrajaya between 2.30pm and 5.30pm on March 21, 2018.

The charges were framed under section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act and punishable under section 24(1) of the same act, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine five times the value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

The trial before judge Rozina Ayob continues on December 20. – Bernama, December 14, 2022.