Witness: I was an agent provocateur for MACC

What say you on the issue below?

IPOH: A key prosecution witness in the corruption trial of two former Pakatan Rakyat exco members and three others told the Sessions Court that he had been an agent provocateur to assist the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in two other corruption cases.

Mohd Imran Abdullah, when cross-examined by counsel Asri Othman said: "I have helped MACC in two other corruption cases involving a Syariah High Court judge and another related to Perak state titles."

On his role in the cases, Imran said: "It was the same as an agent provocateur."

Cross-examined by counsel Surjan Singh on how he became an agent provocateur, Imran said he was selected to be an agent after he received a call from a person called Zakuan from the MACC.

"I met another MACC officer, Zawawi in Silibin, and he asked me to assist in the Syariah High Court case."

To a question by Surjan, Imran denied that he had mentioned in the Syariah High Court case that he would be arrested if he did not cooperate and become the MACC's agent provocateur.

Perak Syariah High Court judge Hassan Basri Markum, 54, is charged with seven counts of corruption.

Imran also denied that he had met an Indian Muslim by the name of Hussein, who conducts marriage courses in Medan Kidd, and asked him to prepare certificates for participants who did not attend the course.

When Surjan asked Imran if he was the sort of person who would do anything for money, Imran replied that was not true.

Imran, the project manager of Imbangan Damai Sdn Bhd, also told the court that he did not know the paid-up capital of the company and also the projects undertaken by the company.

He disagreed with Surjan that he did not have information on his company.

"I have the company profile, including projects for government and pictures of completed buildings," he said, adding that his role was to get projects for the company.

When Surjan put to him that Imbangan Damai was not qualified to undertake big projects and that Imran did not "enter" the project at Seri Iskandar, he replied: "This is not true."

Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Independent-Behrang), Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (Independent-Changkat Jering), former Perak Tengah district councillors Usaili Alias and Zul Hassan and contractor Fairul Azrim are charged with accepting bribes of between RM400 and RM100,000 between Aug 6 and 19 last year, and sexual favours from women arranged by Imran as incentives to obtain a development project in Pusat Bandar Seri Iskandar, 45km southwest of here.

Charges against Ruslan Sahat, a technician with Perak State Development Corporation, were dropped following his death on Aug 3.

Hearing continues before judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh on Monday.