KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 2): Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin told the Sessions Court on Tuesday that he had no knowledge that he and his wife, actress-turned-businesswoman Datin Seri Zizie Izette A Samad, had allegedly received RM2.8 million linked to Felcra Bhd’s RM150 million investment in unit trust products.

Testifying on the first day of entering his defence at his corruption trial here, Bung Moktar, 66, denied ever soliciting or receiving bribes from Public Mutual agents Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar and Madhi Abdul Hamid. 

He said that he only ever became aware of the money received during investigations from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). 

Bung’s lawyer Ridha Abdah Subri, was asking him questions about the RM2.8 million he received and whether he was aware of it. 

Ridha: At any material time, did you ever instruct or request your wife Zizie Izette to receive the sum of RM2.8 million on your behalf from Norhaili and Madhi on June 12 and June 17, 2015 respectively?"

Bung: Never, because I had absolutely no knowledge that my wife would or had received the RM2.8 million on the said dates from Norhaili and Madhi.

Ridha: Why were you not aware of the matter?

Bung: Because at no time was I informed by my wife about the receipt of the money. I was also not informed by anyone else about it until I was called to assist the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation in 2016 or 2017.

“I never directed my wife to accept any money, nor was I aware she had received RM2.8 million as alleged,” he said. 

In this trial, Bung Moktar is charged with receiving bribes totalling RM2.8 million to help approve Felcra’s RM150 million investment in Public Mutual. He allegedly received RM2.2 million, RM262,500, and RM337,500 (the last under Zizie’s name) on June 19, 2015. His wife, Zizie, is charged with abetting him in all three instances.

On the stand on Tuesday before judge Rosli Ahmad, Bung Moktar, who served as Felcra’s non-executive chairman between 2013 and 2018, confirmed that investment proposals were presented by Felcra’s finance division and vetted through several layers of scrutiny, including the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc) and ultimately the Finance Minister II at the time, Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.

He said that the Finance Ministry later issued a letter in April 2015 stating it had no objection to Felcra investing RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts, provided that the board ensured proper monitoring of investment risks. 

Bung Moktar stressed that his role was limited to chairing board meetings and signing letters prepared by Felcra’s management for ministerial approval. 

“The process was transparent, guided by proper due diligence, and not a unilateral decision,” he said.

During proceedings, Bung Moktar emphasised that even the prosecution’s own witnesses did not support the bribery allegations. He pointed to the testimony of Public Mutual agents Madhi and Norhaili, who both confirmed that there were no discussions about bribes, “introducer fees”, or any request for RM3.5 million in exchange for securing the investment approval.

The RM3.5 million is what the prosecution are claiming Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette had allegedly tried to solicit from the agents. 

“In their evidence, they agreed there was no conversation about commissions or payments to me, and no such request ever came from me,” Bung Moktar said. He stressed that this aligned with his own position that he had neither asked for nor received any money in connection with Felcra’s RM150 million investment.

The trial continues on Wednesday with Bung Moktar resuming his defence testimony on the stand.