Chinese national testifies to paying RM400k for M'sian IC, passport
Wednesday, 30 Oct 20199:52 PM MYT
GEORGE TOWN (Bernama): A businessman from China told the High Court here on Wednesday (Oct 30) that he had to pay RM400,000 to get a Malaysian passport and an identity card.
Wang De Qun, 58, said he agreed to pay the sum as he wanted to have a Malaysian passport to facilitate investment and business dealings in the country.
"I wanted to have a valid passport in this country to facilitate my business as I faced difficulties entering Malaysia, ” said the prosecution witness in the deposition proceedings in the case against six individuals who face charges of issuing and selling a birth certificate and an identity card illegally to a foreigner.
The six include Penang National Registration Department (JPN) assistant director Mohd Faizul Arifin, 34; Mohd Faizal Tan Abdullah, 66; Yap Cheng Wah, 43; Loh Chan Cheong, 34; Chien Guan Chai, 36, and businessman Datuk Lai Chin Wah, 56
Wang who gave his statement in Mandarin said he had a resort business and was a contractor in the country.
In his statement, Wang said he was introduced by a Thai man known as Liwge who told him of a way to acquire Malaysian citizen passport. His finance manager paid RM200,00 advance to the Thai man.
"I told Liwge, I wanted the passport for the purpose of investment as available in Australia and Africa, and I wanted a valid Malaysia passport, ” said Wang who holds two passports, China's and Vanuatu's, with the Malaysian passport under the name of Ewe Chor Beng.
He said to obtain the passport, he was introduced to and met the accused, businessman Datuk Lai Chin Wah, 56, in December last year.
"In the meeting with Lai, I was brought to a hotel. After that I was brought to a government building.
"There, I was brought to the room of an officer on the third floor where I was told to sign several pieces of documents which I do not know of the content but I believe it is a valid transaction relating to my passport application, ” said Wang who identified in court the officer as JPN assistant director Mohd Faizul.
The witness said he was then brought to another building for thumb print and to have his picture taken. After that, he was again brought by Lai to the hotel and waited for several hours there and was later shown a copy of the document which had his picture.
He said Lai contacted him when he was in China to say his passport was ready. The witness said he later came to Penang and in the meeting, Lai showed him an identity card bearing his picture.
"At that time, I thought I had obtained the passport but it was only a card and the accused told me it was a card (Mykad) needed to apply for passport.
"The following day, I was brought to the same government building for all other procedures to obtain a passport and later returned to my country, ” he said.
Wang said in March this year, Lai again contacted him and announced his passport was ready. The witness went to Penang again to meet Lai to collect the passport.
"After obtaining the passport that night, the accused (Lai) brought me Thailand and returned to Malaysia the next day to try out the passport. There were no complications and the exit and entry proceeded smoothly, ” he said and later handed over RM200,000 to Lai.
Wang said after the passport had been resolved, Lai said he would want to cooperate with him in business and asked him to take Malaysian driving licence and the witness agreed and sat for the test to obtain a driving license.
Justice Datuk Akhtar Tahir set Thursday (Oct 31) for the witness to continue his statement.
Faizul, Faizal Tan, Yap, Loh and Chien all pleaded not guilty to two charges under Section 26E of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670), as did businessman Lai to three similar charges.
They also face charges of fraudulently issuing and selling a birth certificate and an identity card. – Bernama
