KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 18): All contractor recommendations and procurement methods under the Jana Ekonomi Pemerkasaan Kontraktor Bumiputera Berwibawa (Jana Wibawa) programme originated directly from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), a Ministry of Finance official told the High Court.

Datin Rosni Yusoff, secretary of the ministry's Government Procurement Division, testified that the evaluation committee she chaired only assessed contractors formally minuted by the PMO to the office of the finance minister. Letters of interest sent directly to the Ministry of Finance held no weight.

Questioned by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Iman Nurhidayah Ezani regarding contractor selection procedures, Rosni emphasised the mandatory nature of PMO directives.

Iman: [Regarding] the letters of interest submitted directly to the Government Procurement Division...could you explain what weight or role they carry?

Rosni: Letters of interest received without going through the Prime Minister's Office will not be processed...because we have no authority to execute the evaluation process.

Iman: So, for letters of interest submitted through the minister of finance's office from the PMO, what action did you need to take?

Rosni: For directives received from the minister of finance's office, we would conduct evaluations on those applications and bring them to the Jana Wibawa Contractor Evaluation Committee.

In her written witness statement, Rosni outlined the multi-stage evaluation process for the RM62 million Felda Bukit Jalor to Gemas road project. She detailed how contractor KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd was initially rejected due to unsatisfactory work performance and a record of "sick" (delayed/failing) projects, before being re-evaluated on the PMO's instructions.

She said evaluations were based on three criteria:

"In December 2020, KCJ Engineering passed the first and second stages of evaluation but failed the third stage due to unsatisfactory current work performance and existing sick projects," Rosni testified, adding that committee minutes were kept strictly internal and shared only with the office of the finance minister.

However, the Ministry of Finance subsequently received a letter dated Feb 3, 2021, signed by Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohammad — then the private secretary to the prime minister — forwarding an updated list of contractors that included KCJ Engineering for further attention and re-evaluation.

Following a reassessment on Feb 26, 2021, the committee cleared the company on all three criteria, allowing the ministry to prepare a memorandum recommending a direct-negotiation award to the finance minister.

The court also heard details regarding the design-and-build contract for Phase 3 of the Pulau Indah Ring Road project in Klang, Selangor.

Rosni testified that while the Public Works Department (PWD) procurement board originally recommended approving Sutracom Sdn Bhd based on a departmental estimate of RM540 million, the Ministry of Finance ultimately approved the contract at the contractor's submitted price of RM605.2 million over a 36-month period.

Iman: Who actually has the final say on the price offer, Datin, even though it was submitted to the PWD?

Rosni: The minister of finance, because the minister of finance finalises the implementation of the project.

She confirmed that contractors for both the Pulau Indah Ring Road project and the RM141 million North Klang District Police Headquarters (IPPD) project — awarded to Nepturis Sdn Bhd — were evaluated only after official submissions were routed from the PMO to the finance minister's office.

Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin faces seven charges in this trial: four counts of abuse of power involving RM225.3 million in alleged gratification and three counts of money laundering involving RM200 million.

He is accused of receiving bribes from one Datuk Azman Yusoff and three companies — including Nepturis and Mamfor Sdn Bhd — allegedly for the benefit of his political party, Bersatu.

The trial continues before judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin on Wednesday.