Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has denied any role in negotiations over an introduction fee allegedly paid to his wife, Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, as incentive for securing Felcra’s RM150 million unit trust investment.
Testifying under cross-examination in his corruption trial, the former Felcra chairperson said the dealings were strictly between Zizie and investment agent Norhaili Mokhtar.
Deputy public prosecutor Low Chin How suggested that Norhaili had asked Zizie to reduce the fee from RM3 million to RM2.8 million, but was told to consult Bung Moktar. He rejected this as “not true” and a “malicious assumption”.
Low further put it to him that he had agreed to the reduction and ordered Zizie to manage receipt of the funds. Bung Moktar again denied the claim.
The DPP also alleged that Norhaili and colleague Madhi Abdul Hamid had received RM5.6 million in commissions from Public Mutual and that Bung Moktar took half under the guise of an introduction fee. Defence lawyer Ridha Abdah Subri objected, arguing the line of questioning was outside the prosecution’s evidence and would be addressed in submissions.
On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar claimed trial to three charges of accepting RM2.8 million in bribes to secure Felcra’s RM150 million investment in Public Mutual unit trusts.
According to the charges, he allegedly received RM2.2 million and RM262,500 from Madhi through Zizie, and RM337,500 from Norhaili, also through Zizie, at Public Bank’s Taman Melawati branch on 12 June 2015.
Zizie faces three counts of abetting her husband.