Kota Kinabalu: A businessman told the Special Corruption Court that the money he handed to former Sabah Water Department (JANS) director, Ag Tahir Mohd Talib was only a “return thanks” to Ag Tahir.
Wong Kok Vui @ Michael, 71, the prosecution witness who was re-called on Friday as a witness in the defence of Ag Tahir, disagreed with counsel Datuk Ansari Abdullah that the money was the share of profits and not as a proxy.
Ansari: Teo had told that you’re a “macai” or proxy to Ag Tahir, is it true?Wong: No. We’re just friend only.
Ansari: Does this mean Teo lied in court?Wong: I am not sure.
Ansari: Teo told the court that around August 2003, you came and asked him for RM500,000 in cash to be handed over to Ag Tahir. I put it to you that this is not true?Wong: I cannot remember this.
Ansari: All the money you handed over to Awang Tahir was his share of the profits as a business partner and not as a proxy, do you agree?Wong: Disagreed. All of this was just a “return thanks” to him.
Ansari: What do you mean by “return thanks”?Wong: Just to say thank you to him so that I could continue getting new jobs in the coming years.
Ansari: Do you agree that when the MACC investigated, you did not submit any documents to the MACC?Wong: None.
Ansari: How many days were you detained for investigation by the MACC?Wong: I was only called in but not detained.
During cross-examination by Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission Deputy Public Prosecutor Zander Lim, Wong explained that his answers “so that I can continue with new jobs in the coming years” was because, according to him, Ag Tahir had the power to approve job allocations for all divisions and districts related to JANS.
Wong agreed that Awang Tahir was not involved in the preparation, processing or decision-making of any tenders pertaining to JANS works.
He said that most of the projects he applied for went through the tender process at the divisional and district levels only, and not through the JANS headquarters.
He also agreed with lawyer that Ag Tahir had no role in opening or managing tenders at the divisional or district level.
Ansari: You stated that most of jobs were applied for through the tender process.
Wong: Yes, through the tender process.
Ansari: All the jobs you obtained from 2004 to 2016 were through tenders at the divisional and district levels, and none through the headquarters?Wong: Yes, that is correct.
Ansari: Do you agree that Ag Tahir was not involved in opening or managing tenders at the divisional or district levels?Wong: I agree.
Ansari: In other words, Ag Tahir was not involved in preparing tenders or quotations, deciding on them, or processing any tenders you submitted?Wong: He was not involved.
On the matter of commission deductions allegedly requested by Teo, Wong said he had never discussed the issue with Ag Tahir.
“We followed the decisions made by the District and Divisional Engineers,” he said.
Ag Tahir, his wife Fauziah Ag Piut, and former deputy director Lim Lam Beng are currently on trial before Sessions Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat, for multiple money-laundering charges involving RM61.57 million, as well as unlawful possession of luxury goods between October and November 2016.
Teo served at the Kota Kinabalu Divisional Water Engineering Office and later became deputy director of JANS after Lim.
Lim is represented by lawyers Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Baldev Singh and Kelvin Wong, while Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah are represented by Ansari and Erveana Ansari.
Trial will resume on Jan 14-16, 2026.
