Latest news with #FauziahPiut
Daily Express
6 days ago
- Daily Express
Large amount of money belonged to others
Published on: Friday, June 27, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 27, 2025 By: Jo Ann Mool Text Size: Ag Mohd Tahir, 63, is on trial together with his wife, Fauziah Piut, 60, and former deputy director, Lim Lam Beng, 66, with each facing separate charges among a total of 37 for money laundering involving RM61.57 million in cash and bank savings, as well as unlawful possession of luxury items between October and November 2016. Kota Kinabalu: Former Water Department Director, Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, told the Special Corruption Court on Thursday that a large sum of money belonging to others was kept in the pantry of his office. During cross-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, before Judge Abu Bakar Manat, Ag Mohd Tahir said there were items belonging to others in the pantry, namely a large sum of money, at the time of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raid in 2016. On Wednesday, Ag Mohd Tahir, in his witness statement during examination-in-chief regarding the money found in the pantry of his office at Wisma Muis, stated that most of the money did not belong to him and had already been there when he took office in 2003. He added that part of the money was his, which he had received from business partnerships with Michael Wong, Fauzi and Haris. Ag Mohd Tahir said most of the money found in the pantry was not his, as it had already been there when he started occupying the office. He estimated that about RM20 million was already in the pantry, while roughly RM3 million belonged to him personally. Ag Mohd Tahir, 63, is on trial together with his wife, Fauziah Piut, 60, and former deputy director, Lim Lam Beng, 66, with each facing separate charges among a total of 37 for money laundering involving RM61.57 million in cash and bank savings, as well as unlawful possession of luxury items between October and November 2016. When further cross-examined by the prosecution on Thursday, Ag Mohd Tahir said he was unaware that his wife had 19 bank accounts across several banks, including Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), which collectively held a total of RM2.2 million. He also disagreed that more than 900 pieces of jewellery were found in his wife's possession in a room that was also occupied by him. To a suggestion, Ag Mohd Tahir disagreed that the cash, jewellery, luxury watches, designer handbags, and luxury cars found inside and outside his house belonged to him and his wife. Ag Mohd Tahir agreed to the prosecution's suggestion that his wife could not have afforded over 90 luxury handbags based on her last drawn salary in 2013. He said her last job was as a secretary at Ko-Nelayan Kota Kinabalu but was unsure about the prosecution's claim that her salary ranged between RM2,500 and RM3,000. In response to a question, Ag Mohd Tahir said he could not recall whether all his other sources of income had ever been declared to the Sabah Water Department's administration, as it had been too long ago. He disagreed with the prosecution's suggestion that he failed to make declarations because the seized cash and valuable items were proceeds of illegal activities, and also disagreed that he did not declare them because he could not explain the source of the income. DPP: You also did not make any declaration regarding assets owned by your spouse? Ag Mohd Tahir: I do not remember, it was a long time ago. DPP: You also could not declare the source of income for the assets owned by your wife. Ag Mohd Tahir: I disagree. DPP: If the money and items were lawfully acquired, you would have had no issue declaring them, agree? Ag Mohd Tahir: I am not sure. When referred to a document, his asset declaration dated Jan 3, 2005, Ag Mohd Tahir agreed with the prosecution's suggestion that it was the only declaration he made throughout his service up to 2016. DPP: From this declaration, you only declared one house at Grace Ville and one car, correct? Ag Mohd Tahir: Correct. DPP: From this declaration, you stated that your wife's income was only RM2,000, correct? Ag Mohd Tahir: Correct. DPP: It is clear from this document that the millions in cash, several luxury cars, a luxury home worth millions, luxury watches, and the millions in your bank accounts were never declared, based on this declaration. Correct? Ag Mohd Tahir: Based on this document, correct. DPP: And from this document, no business income was declared. Correct? Ag Mohd Tahir: Correct. Also appearing for the prosecution are DPPS Haresh Prakash Somiah and Zander Lim, alongside DPP Mahadi. Representing Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah were counsels Datuk Ansari Abdullah and Erveana Ansari, while Lim was defended by Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Baldev Singh, Karpaljit Singh, and Kelvin Wong. Trial adjourned to July 23. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Free Malaysia Today
6 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
RM17mil in office pantry not mine, says ex-Sabah water dept director
Former Sabah water department director Ag Mohd Tahir Ag Mohd Talib and two others are on trial for money laundering. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A former director of the Sabah water department says the bulk of the RM20 million allegedly discovered by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in his office pantry belonged to someone else. Ag Mohd Tahir Ag Mohd Talib, 63, told Kota Kinabalu sessions court judge Abu Bakar Manat that only a certain amount in a knapsack was his. Under cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Tahir disagreed with the suggestion that he was the only person who had a key to the pantry, reported The Borneo Post. Mahadi: Was there anything that belonged to someone else in the pantry and inside the knapsack? Tahir: Only the items inside the knapsack were mine. Mahadi: So there were items that belonged to someone else in the pantry? Tahir: Yes. Mahadi: Can you tell the court what those items were? Tahir: A large amount of cash. Tahir also agreed that all items in the knapsack belonged to him. Under examination-in-chief, Tahir testified that the bulk of the RM20 million allegedly found in the pantry was already there when he went to his office. He claimed he would keep his money in the pantry from time to time, especially when his brother requested for political donations. However, Tahir maintained that only RM3 million of the RM20 million belonged to him. He is on trial with his wife, Fauziah Piut, 58, and the department's former deputy director, Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 69. They pleaded not guilty in 2019 to 37 counts of money laundering involving RM61.57 million and the unlawful possession of luxury items. Tahir faces 11 charges while Fauziah is charged with 19 offences under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. The couple is jointly charged on two counts while Tahir faces one other charge. They are alleged to have committed the offences at an office in Kota Kinabalu, a house in Sembulan, at several bank branches, and a condominium in Sulaman, all in Sabah, as well as in Kuala Lumpur between Oct 4 and Nov 4, 2016. Lim, who faces four charges, is alleged to have been in possession of cash amounting to RM2.38 million between Oct 13 and Nov 8, 2016. The trial before judge Abu Bakar resumes on July 23.
Free Malaysia Today
7 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Ex-Sabah water dept director claims millions in cash were business profits
Former Sabah water department director Ag Tahir Ag Talib and two others are on trial for money laundering. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A former director of the Sabah water department told the Kota Kinabalu sessions court today the large sum of cash allegedly discovered by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission came from profits earned through business ventures with his partners. Ag Mohd Tahir Ag Mohd Talib, 63, named three business partners, including his brother, who were contractors involved in the ventures, reported The Borneo Post. Tahir said he had provided capital for these ventures from his personal savings, though he could not recall the exact amounts, as the arrangements dated back many years. He said the agreements were made orally and not in writing. He also said the cash included not only the business profits, but also his salary. Taking the stand as the first defence witness, Tahir read aloud his 155-page written statement in open court. Under examination-in-chief, he claimed to have received substantial profits from his partners – RM5 million, RM30 million and RM12 million, respectively – all in cash. He said he 'roughly counted' the money he received. He also said the luxury vehicles and other items allegedly found in his possession were purchased using his salary and business profits. Tahir is on trial with his wife, Fauziah Piut, 58, and the department's former deputy director, Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 69. They pleaded not guilty in 2019 to 37 counts of money laundering involving RM61.57 million and the unlawful possession of luxury items. Tahir faces 11 charges, and Fauziah 19 under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. The couple is jointly charged on two counts while Tahir faces one other charge. They are alleged to have committed the offences at an office in Kota Kinabalu, a house in Sembulan, at several bank branches, and a condominium in Sulaman, all in Sabah, as well as in Kuala Lumpur between Oct 4 and Nov 4, 2016. Lim, who faces four charges, is alleged to have been in possession of cash amounting to RM2.38 million between Oct 13 and Nov 8, 2016. The trial before judge Abu Bakar Manat continues tomorrow.
