Shamsubahrin quizzed for five hours by MACC

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) questioned businessman Shamsubahrin Ismail for five hours beginning noon today, regarding SMS exchanges he had with a key individual of the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

The anti-graft body wanted to know the nature and meaning of the 50-plus SMS exchanges Shamsubahrin had had with the NFC’s chairperson, Mohamad Salleh Ismail.

It is learnt the SMS were sent during the period between Dec 18 onwards prior to Shamsubahrin’s (left in photo) arrest. It is understood the MACC officers were asking Shamsubahrin the nature and context of the various SMS exchanges.

Shamsubahrin was charged on Dec 30, 2011 with cheating Mohamad Salleh of RM1.755 million, at Solaris Mont Kiara between Nov 25 and Dec 6, 2011.

He is also charged with cheating by promising Mohamad Salleh “consultancy services” which he knew he could not deliver, in order to charge a fee, at a restaurant in Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur on Nov 20, 2011.

The businessman was accompanied by lawyer and PKR supreme council member Latheefa Koya (left) and Murni Hidayah Anuar of the PKR Women’s wing, who is also a lawyer.

On March 7, Shamsubahrin had handed over a transcript of the SMS exchanges and communications  between him and this person.

Mohamad Salleh had denied he had asked Shamsubahrin to bribe police in relation to a probe into alleged misuse of a government soft loan.

However, the NFC chairperson has been charged with two counts of criminal breach of trust and another two counts of violating the Companies Act.

Initially the MACC wanted to bar the lawyers from accompanying Shamsubahrin, saying that if they wanted to be present the graft commission will require them to give their statements.

Latheefa: Shamsubahrin’s car windscreen broken

Latheefa said initially Murni Hidayah attended the first portion of the questioning and she attended the second.

“Shamsubahrin had given his full cooperation in assisting investigations as he had related what the SMSes meant,” she said.

However, Latheefa said following their presence, the MACC wanted to record their statements under Section 16 of the MACC Act on another day.

She said that she finds it puzzling that the MACC wanted to record the lawyers’ statement over the matter.

Latheefa said Shamsubahrin had also complained to the MACC that one of his three cars seized by the graft body had its windscreen broken.

“The MACC had seized three cars. However, as we arrived at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya we noticed that the windscreen of one of the cars was broken.

"When we asked the MACC officers, they claimed that the windscreen had been broken while a grasscutter was mowing the lawn.

“We complained about the MACC’s lackadaisical attitude as they had not informed our client of the broken windscreen and they have not made any attempt to cover it with plastic. This resulted in the car being exposed to sunlight and also rain,” said Latheefa.

She added that the MACC however, had lodged a police report over the broken windscreen.