Witness: JBSN not responsible for payments under KWASN

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court was told yesterday that the National Youth and Sports Department (JBSN) was not involved in the payment for applications that sought allocations from the National Sports Trust Fund ( KWASN) for sports programmes approved by the KWASN committee.

Selangor Youth and Sports Department director Mohd Nor Md Said said all payment for applications that are approved will be from the Finance Division of the Youth and Sports Ministry ( KBS) and paid to associations or clubs for carrying out sports related programmes.

“The Youth and Sports Department is only responsible for submitting the applications from associations and clubs for funds to carry out sports related activities under KWASN,” he said when appearing as the 31st prosecution witness.

Mohd Nor said this during examination-in- chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Norzilati Izhani Zainal at the trial of former Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) finance secretary Otman Arsahd, 58, who is facing 32 charges of abusing his position and submitting false claims involving RM38.4 million, four years ago.

During the incident, Mohd Nor, who is the 31st prosecution witness, was JBSN deputy director-general ( Sports), from May 2013 to May 2015.

Mohd Nor said throughout his tenure as the JBSN deputy director- general, there was no discussions in meetings related to Gapa Jitu Sdn Bhd, GPO Essence Sdn Bhd, Enconic Corporation Sdn Bhd and Dial Ex Sdn Bhd by the committee.

Otman, represented by lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, is charged with committing all the offences at the National Sports Council ( NSC) office in Bukit Jalil here between Feb 28, 2012 and Nov 18, 2015.

On the 15 counts of abusing his position, Otman allegedly instructed NSC Finance Division director Abdul Rashid Yaakub to issue payment to Dial Ex Sdn Bhd, a company owned by his two children, for the amount of RM2,161,000 for various ministry programmes, including Futsal 2012 and additional programmes for Formula One (F1) in 2013.

The charges are framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission ( MACC) Act 2009, which carries a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

On the 17 counts of submitting false claims, Otman allegedly gave a letter of payment through the ministry’s account to Abdul Rashid for three companies owned by his friend, amounting to RM36,310,400, related to various ministry programmes. — Bernama