Kota Kinabalu: Former Water Department Director, Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, told the Special Corruption Court that although he had worked alongside his former deputy, Teo Chee Kong for more than two decades, their working relationship was not necessarily good.
Ag Mohd Tahir when cross-examined by the prosecution before Judge Abu Bakar Manat, disagreed with the prosecution’s suggestion that Teo was a loyal subordinate simply because he had worked with him for more than 20 years.
Ag Mohd Tahir maintained it was not necessarily so, nor did it mean their ties were cordial throughout that period.
To a suggestion by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mahadi Abdul Jumaat that Teo, or any third party acting as a gangster, had never at any time threatened to harm him or his family, Ag Mohd Tahir replied: Not true.
When asked further if, between 2003 and 2015, he had ever been beaten or intimidated by Teo or his associates, Ag Mohd Tahir said: Beaten, no. Element of intimidation, yes.
However, he conceded that he was unable to produce any police report or complaint to back up his allegation of intimidation.
During re-examination by his counsel Datuk Ansari Abdullah on a related question, Ag Mohd Tahir admitted he was mistaken, clarifying that if the reference was specifically to gangsters, indeed never threatened to harm him or his family.
When asked by Ansari to explain what he meant by “elements of intimidation”, Ag Mohd Tahir said it was remarks such as: “If you want to remain as Director, just follow.”To a suggestion by the prosecution, Ag Mohd Tahir said “not true that during the 12-year period, Teo had never at any time used his connections with ministers or senior officials in the Finance and Infrastructure Ministries to scare him.
When asked during re-examination by his counsel to explain why he did not agree with the suggestion, Ag Mohd Tahir said: “I admit I was mistaken in answering ‘not true’ to scaring me, but in many situations the circumstances which caused my relationship with the higher-ups such as ministers to be strained were due to the influence of Teo Chee Kong.”The DPP also put it to him that as the Water Department Director, he had authority over Teo and could have taken disciplinary action against him, including transferring him out of headquarters, but Ag Mohd Tahir disagreed.
Ag Mohd Tahir explained during re-examination that any action to transfer Teo would have been futile because Teo had already influenced the ministers to retain him.
To a question during cross-examination by the prosecution, Ag Mohd Tahir rejected the prosecution’s suggestion that he had no reason to “play safe” with Teo since the latter was only appointed as his deputy 12 years after he became director.
Ag Mohd Tahir, 63, is on trial together with his wife, Fauziah Piut, 60, and former deputy director, Lim Lam Beng, 66, with each facing separate charges among a total of 37 for money laundering involving RM61.57 million in cash and bank savings, as well as unlawful possession of luxury items between Oct and Nov 2016.
Ag Mohd Tahir told the court during re-examination that the seizure of items at his office and at his Sembulan residence had turned chaotic as too many people were present.
He said the seizure was carried out by many people who merely gathered the items without fully counting the money, which he did not witness being tallied note by note despite agreeing it should have been done in front of him.
When asked why he signed the seizure documents even though the counting was not done in front of him, Ag Mohd Tahir said he had been under great pressure at the time with people ransacking his office and house, and he just wanted everything to be done quickly.
“In a state of pressure, I just signed the forms at both locations. I signed while those conducting the seizure were also in a rush to take the items to the MACC office,” he said.
When asked to explain why he failed to provide the name of another Water Department Director under whom he had served, Ag Mohd Tahir said: Since I fell ill and was hospitalised for almost a month, I have suffered severe memory loss. I face frequent lapses of memory.
Counsel Ansari: Can you recall this morning the name of that director?Ag Mohd Tahir: Yes. Benny Wang.
To another question regarding the RM23 million found in his office, Ag Mohd Tahir said he did not keep the RM20 million as it was not his, and that the additional RM3 million belonged to him.
He said he only used the RM3 million and never touched the RM20 million in cash.
Also appearing for the prosecution are DPPs Haresh Prakash Somiah and Zander Lim.
Representing Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah were counsel Datuk Ansari Abdullah, while Lim was defended by Datuk Tan Hock Chuan and Baldev Singh.
Trial continues.
