This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 6, 2025 - October 12, 2025

THE conviction of four men by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Oct 2 could give some insight into how the criminal prosecution of Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd owner Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamad and former company director Datuk Yap Wee Leong may run in the coming months, over the incomplete MEX II project scandal.

The MEX II project was supposed to extend the existing Maju Expressway (MEX) by another 16km from Putrajaya to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The four men charged are Datuk Lim Kim Hai, Lee Keng Long, Chan Chee Kong and Ang Teck Ann. All pleaded guilty to not reporting bribes received, and were each fined RM100,000.

In addition, the sum of RM5.9 million that they had received as bribes was confiscated by the court following an application made by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Lim, 50, a consultant at KH Lim Consultancy, was convicted of receiving and not reporting a RM3.5 million cash bribe from Yap as an inducement to get three subcontracting companies, namely Villa Hub Sdn Bhd, Jade Centennial Sdn Bhd and Bidang Bakat Sdn Bhd, to be used as subcontractors for Golden Base Construction Sdn Bhd.

Ang, 52, was convicted of receiving and not reporting a RM500,000 bribe as an inducement to being the intermediary between Lim and Lee to get the three subcontractor companies mentioned for Golden Base Construction.

Chan, 67, was convicted of receiving and not reporting a RM1.4 million bribe he received from Lim as an inducement to act as an intermediary to Maju Holdings’ then chief financial officer Boon Joon Siang for Lim to get the three subcontractor companies for Golden Base Construction.

Finally, Lee, 37, was convicted of receiving and not reporting a RM500,000 bribe from Lim for allowing the three companies, which he owned, to be used as sub-contractors to Golden Base Construction.

All the offences were committed between June 2017 and June 2018, at the KH Lim Consultancy office in Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur. All the offences of not reporting were stipulated under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act.

All three companies, namely Villa Hub, Jade Centennial and Bidang Bakat, were used by Golden Base Construction in their claim for the Maju Expressway II project, and are mentioned in the charges now faced by Yap as the then director of Maju Holdings.

Yap faces nine counts each for deceiving RM220.727 million from Maybank and money laundering RM338.342 million, and 17 charges of forgery.

Meanwhile, Abu Sahid has been charged with criminal breach of trust of RM145 million, and four CBT charges involving RM313 million and 13 counts of money laundering of RM139 million in relation to MEX II.

Both Yap and Abu Sahid, as well as Abu Sahid’s wife Puan Sri Noor Azrina Azmi, who was also charged with money laundering of RM67 million last month, have claimed trial to the charges.

Court documents and facts of the case tendered in court and sighted by The Edge following the men’s guilty plea show that in May 2017, Boon had contacted Lim to convey that he (Boon) was in search of several companies to become a dummy subcontractor for Golden Base Construction for the MEX II project.

Lim agreed to help get the three subcontractor companies for the dummy company as requested by Boon, for a 6% commission of the false claims made.

The purpose of these dummy companies was to receive the funds transferred from Golden Base Construction, and to then channel it back to Maju Holdings on Boon’s instructions.

Boon informed Lim that Yap, who was Maju Holdings’ director and a director of MEX II Sdn Bhd, and Abu Sahid had agreed to the deal.

The 6% commission was to be given to Lim following the false claims being made by Golden Base Construction to Maju Holdings, where no work or project was conducted by Golden Base Construction.

The claim made by Golden Base Construction was paid through Maju Holdings with funds obtained from sukuk funds.

Lim then contacted Ang, who is a lorry company owner, to ask his assistance to borrow his companies for the construction of the MEX II highway and paid commission to Ang for allowing the companies to be used as subcontractors.

Ang agreed to allow Villas Hub, Jade Centennial and Bidang Bakat to be used as subcontractors. The three companies are a joint venture between Ang and Lee, but they are registered in Lee’s name. Lee, who also runs a lorry company, is Ang’s friend.

In order to implement the dummy claims, the payments received by the three companies were staggered, or progress claims from Golden Base Construction.

A sum of RM307,563,594.02 was transferred by Golden Base Construction to the three companies.

The commission payments were made by KH Lim’s accounts clerk to Lim, and he received RM3.5 million in stages, while Chan received RM1.4 million. Ang and Lee each received RM500,000. The balance was then transferred back to Maju Holdings or others on Boon’s directive.

The MACC managed to recover some of the funds and freeze them under the MACC Act.

Abu Sahid and Yap’s trial will be heard in Kuala Lumpur starting on Nov 3, where Noor Azrina was also charged and had also claimed trial.

While Lim, Ang, Lee and Chan are the only ones who have been convicted in the MEX II case, the related cases and the facts of the case produced in court so far do not represent Abu Sahid, Yap or Noor Azrina’s culpability as they are considered innocent until proven otherwise.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said last month that nine people would be charged with regards to the MEX II highway and these charges would be made in stages.

With Abu Sahid, Yap and Noor Azrina having been charged, and Lim, Ang, Lee and Chan having been convicted, it remains to be seen as to who the others are going to be.

In May, it was reported that the MACC had opened a probe into the false claims and bribery with regards to the incomplete MEX II highway. In May, The Edge had reported that MEX II had current liabilities of close to RM1.7 billion, and the ability of the company to continue as a going concern depended on its amicable settlement on its financial obligations by receivers and managers. 

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.