Published: Wednesday January 16, 2013 MYT 8:59:00 PM

NFC case: No deal to close probe, says CCID director

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman Commercial Crimes Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan on Wednesday told the Sessions Court here that there was no deal to close the investigation into the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) case.

He said he met with NFCorp former director Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail and businessman Shamsubahrin Ismail twice in his office in November 2011, but there was never any compromise, including to solve the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) case.

"This is a high profile case for the department; if there was any attempt to ask me to close it, I would not be persuaded or would dare to. If there were cases that we decided to close, we would first have to refer to the Attorney-General's Chambers," he said during examination in-chief by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecution unit head Datuk Abdul Razak Musa.

Syed Ismail, 58, was the 26th prosecution witness in the trial of Shamsubahrin who is accused of committing 17 money-laundering offences involving RM1.755mil.

The businessman also faces five counts of cheating Mohamad Salleh involving the same amount.

Asked by Razak whether there was any discussion with Mohamad Salleh to withdraw the case against NFCorp, he said he had never proposed to the latter to do so.

The witness also testified that during the second meeting in his office, a NFCorp officer gave a briefing on the company's organisation and that of its subsidiaries.

He said a team was set up to investigate the NFCorp case, led by CCID's investigation unit head Supt Ravinder Singh.

To an earlier question by Razak, as to what led to the meetings between the accused and Mohamad Salleh, Syed Ismail said he received a call from someone who identified himself as Datuk Sham (Shamsubahrin).

"Through the call he (accused) introduced himself as Datuk Sham from Tun M's office. The accused requested to meet me as according to him, Tun M had asked him (Shamsubahrin) to handle the NFCorp case," he said, adding that he assumed Tun M was former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"I told him that if he wanted to meet me, it had to be in my office," he said.

Syed Ismail also said that police had never solicited RM250,000 from Shamsubahrin to settle the NFCorp case.

Meanwhile, CCID investigating officer ASP Nordin Md Nor, as the 28th prosecution witness, told the court that he received documents from Shamsubahrin on NFCorp's employees.

"The documents which I had requested also came with a small envelope containing RM3,000 cash. I did not take the money and told Datuk Sham that I only required the documents."

Nordin, 41, said prior to that, he received an SMS from Shamsubahrin about the envelope.

The accused also told him that he was sent by Dr Mahathir to help in the NFCorp investigation.

The witness said he then sought for confirmation from Dr Mahathir on the accused's claim, which the former denied.

The NFCorp was given a RM250mil soft loan from the government to manage in the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) in Negeri Sembilan but became mired in controversy after allegations surfaced that part of the money was allegedly used in other investments pending the completion of an abattoir to support the NFC.

Hearing continues Thursday before Judge Rozilah Salleh. - Bernama

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Published: Wednesday January 16, 2013 MYT 8:59:00 PM

NFC case: No deal to close probe, says CCID director