Executive director and major of shareholder Merong Mahawangsa, Datuk Yahya A. Jalil (picture), denied today that he sought help from Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and told the High Court that the plaintiff had voluntarily offered his services instead.
Shazryl, the plaintiff in the case, had filed the suit in January 2002, claiming a breach of contract by defendants — Merong Mahawangsa Sdn Bhd and Yahya — for failing to pay him RM20 million after he had procured the rights to the Malaysia-Singapore International Gateway (SIG) bridge project.
He was also named today as one of three persons behind the mysterious entity “Datuk T” who had screened a sex video allegedly featuring Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Shazryl had earlier testified that, in addition to approaching the late Tan Sri Megat Junid Megat Ayub for help, he had also helped Yahya gain access to then-deputy prime minister, Anwar.
Yahya admitted today to having a casual meeting with Anwar at the former minister’s house with Shazryl in 1998 but couldn’t recollect discussing the bridge.
“I cannot remember if I brought this blueprint (Malaysia-Singapore International Gateway) to Anwar,” he said.
“The purpose of meeting him was because Datuk Shazryl Eskay said he was able to help,” he added.
Yahya added that he could not remember if he had promised 16.6 per cent of shares in Merong Mahawangsa to Shazryl.
He also denied that he had requested help from Shazryl for access to foreign funding for the project.
He also did not agree that Shazryl had helped him in the letters to Anwar, Megat Junid and Economic Planning Unit (EPU) on the SIG project.
However, Yahya agreed that his company, Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd, was paid RM155 million by the government for the Gerbang Selatan Bersepadu (GSB) project in Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru — the new location of the customs, immigration and quarantine complex.
But Yahya was quick to stress that GSB was different from SIG bridge project.
He also acknowledged to not paying the RM20 million agreed to Shazryl as the conditions were not met in the letter of undertaking.
According to the letter, the agreement is void if the project is withdrawn or no longer “sustainable.”
Plaintiff’s counsel Datuk C.V Prabhakaran argued that the SIG was mutually terminated and that Merong Mahawangsa had received compensation.
Gerbang Perdana’s financial director, Azhar Abdul Aziz, later testified to explain that the SIG and GSB are two different projects — the former was a privatisation exercise while the latter a design-build, turnkey contract.
“The SIG is a bridge from Johor to Singapore but the plan was discarded in 2001 and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had instructed it be changed in its entirety,” said Azhar.
Azhar added that the bridge was changed into a crooked bridge to the existing causeway.
In his statement of claim, Shazryl Eskay said Yahya, executive director and major shareholder of Merong Mahawangsa, had enlisted his help to procure the project from the government and to secure RM640 million in foreign funds for the project.
Shazryl claimed the second defendant had sought his help for his “discretion and good relations” with the government.
Shazryl Eskay said the second defendant suggested RM20 million in remunerations for his services, which has not been paid.
The “crooked bridge” project was terminated by the Abdullah administration in 2006.
Shazryl Eskay is seeking a RM20 million payment from the defendants as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
Judge Justice V.T. Singham has set April 13 for both counsels to submit their written submissions and March 5 for the decision.
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