A businessman from China, Wang De Qun, 58, told the George Town High Court today that he is not wanted for corporate crime in the country.
He disagreed with lawyer Mohd Hisham Nazir, representing Penang National Registration Department (NRD) assistant director Mohd Faizul Arifin, 34, who said that it was because of his “wanted” status that he had to get a fake passport.
Wang was testifying in a deposition proceeding in the case of six individuals, including Faizul, who are facing charges related to the illegal issuance and sale of birth certificates and identity cards to foreigners.
The other five accused are Mohd Faizal Tan Abdullah, 66; Yap Cheng Wah, 43; Loh Chan Cheong, 34; Chien Guan Chai, 36, and businessman Lai Chin Wah, 56.
Wang also disagreed with the suggestion of lawyer Ranjit Singh Dhillon, representing Chien and Faizal, that he had pleaded guilty to possession of a forged passport and was sentenced to three months’ jail with a condition to cooperate with the police and be the key prosecution witness in this case.
The businessman, who will complete his jail time on November 13, also disagreed with Ranjit’s suggestion that there was a recording of Wang going into a lift and pressing to go to the third floor of a building, and that he went there alone after being told to go there during a meeting at a hotel.
Wang testified in Mandarin which was then translated by a court interpreter to Malay.
The proceedings were before judge Akhtar Tahir, who then fixed March 10 next year for case management to continue the trial.
Faizul, Faizal, Yap, Loh and Chien pleaded not guilty to two charges under Section 26E of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670), while Lai pleaded not guilty to three similar charges.
Faizul was charged with two counts of fraudulently issuing a birth certificate and an identity card under the name of Ewe Chor Beng to facilitate smuggling of a migrant at the Penang NRD Headquarters, Bangunan Persekutuan, Jalan Anson, between January and February 2019.
Faizal Tan, Yap, Loh and Chien were charged with two counts each of selling the birth certificate and identity card under the same name (Ewe Chor Beng) in George Town during the same period.
Lai was charged with three counts of selling a birth certificate, an identity card and a passport under the same name in George Town between January and March 2019.
Section 26E of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 provides for imprisonment of between seven and 15 years and a fine of not less than RM50,000, or both, on conviction.
Earlier report: Oct 30, Chinese National Got Msian Passport for RM400K