Kota Kinabalu: Former State Water Department Deputy Director Lim Lam Beng told the Special Corruption Court on Wednesday that he did not personally deal with any external contractors during his tenure.
The court heard that Lim also did not have the authority to award or approve any contracts involving external parties while serving in the department.
Lim, who was giving his sworn evidence, said this in response to a question by his counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan during the examination-in-chief before Judge Abu Bakar Manat.
Tan had asked whether, in his capacity as Deputy Director, he had personally deal with any external contractors in relation to contracts awarded by the department.
Lim, 71, is jointly tried with former Sabah Water Department Director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib 63, (first accused) and Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife, Fauziah Piut, 59 (second accused), who are facing multiple money laundering charges.
Lim, the third accused, faced four counts of having a Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle, cash of RM200,000, RM1,900,000 and RM280,000 alleged to be proceeds of unlawful activities as framed under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The offences allegedly committed on Oct 13, Oct 22, Nov 7 and Nov 8, 2016 here.
Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah, meanwhile, are facing 33 counts of money laundering involving RM61.57 million in cash and bank savings, as well as unlawful possession of luxury goods.
Ag Mohd Tahir faces 11 charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUA) 2001 and one charge under Section 4(1)(a) of the same Act.
Fauziah faces 19 charges under Section 4 (1)(b) of the same Act.
Both also faces two joint charges under Section 4 (1)(b) of the same Act.
The offences were allegedly committed at separate locations, among others, at an office in Kota Kinabalu, a house in Sembulan, at several bank branches, between Oct 4 and Nov 4, 2016.
Testifying further, Lim said his main responsibilities as Deputy Director included monitoring and implementing approved water supply development projects under State and Federal funding, assisting in the preparation of the annual operation and maintenance budget, planning and costing development projects, overseeing the water billing system including ICT and computer-related matters, and chairing technical evaluation meetings for approved water supply projects, all as directed by the State Water Department Director.
In response to another question, Lim said his wife, Lee Shuk Lan, holds a 25 per cent share in Jebamilek Sdn Bhd and is one of its four shareholders, received RM1,125,000 as her portion from the proceeds of a RM6 million sale of a parcel of land in Penampang, under a sale and purchase agreement dated May 25, 2004, in which Jebamilek was the vendor in a transaction with another company.
To a question, Lim said he had declared the proceeds from the sale of the Penampang land, which his wife received, in the Asset Declaration Form submitted to the State Water Department on Jan 3, 2005, under the Wife’s Savings section.
He said the declaration was reviewed by then State Water Department Director Ag Mohd Tahir and acknowledged by Datuk Ismail Ag Besar, Chairman of the State Public Service Commission, on Sept 29, 2006.
Lim added that the proceeds from the sale were later used for property investment in Kota Kinabalu.
Earlier, Lim, who obtained a Diploma in Civil Engineering from Institut Teknologi Kebangsaan, Kuala Lumpur, in 1975, told the court that he began his career in the Sabah State Civil Service in 1976 with the Public Works Department in Kota Belud as an Engineering Assistant, where he served until 1981.
He then pursued a Degree in Civil Engineering at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne, Australia, graduating in 1984.
Lim joined the State Water Department when it was established on Jan 1, 1988, serving as Divisional Water Engineer in charge of Beaufort District, including Sipitang and Kuala Penyu, until 1992.
He was later posted to the Kota Kinabalu District, covering Tuaran and Papar, where he served as Senior Divisional Water Engineer from 1992 to 1998.
He was then assigned to Kota Marudu as Water Engineer in charge of the Bandau Water Treatment Plant until 2002, before being transferred to the State Water Department Headquarters as Senior Engineer in charge of the Rural Water Supply Development Project until 2004.
Lim was promoted to Deputy Director of the Sabah State Water Department in 2004 and held the post until his mandatory retirement on Feb 16, 2014.
He said he was subsequently reappointed as Deputy Director on a one-year contract from Feb 17, 2014, to Feb 16, 2015.
Lim was represented by counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan and Baldev Singh, while Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah were represented by counsel Datuk Ansari Abdullah Deputy Public Prosecutors Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Haresh Prakash Somiah and Zander Lim appeared for the prosecution.
Trial continues.