Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo’s position as Selangor Mentri Besar did not influence the valuation of his mansion and land at RM3.5 million, a valuer told the corruption trial today.
Choy Yue Kwong, a valuer from Rahim & Co, had testified yesterday that RM 5.5 million was too high a value to put on the mansion, pointing out the unfinished building construction.
He was commissioned by HSBC to value the palatial home.
Today, responding to a query from deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, he said Norman Chua, from HSBC had called him a few days before the inspection of the house on May 14, 2007 but did not mention Dr Mohamad Khir’s involvement.
“I did request for the particulars but at that instant, it wasn’t given to me.
“Only on that day before we went, he told me (that his client was the mentri besar) and that was on the 14th,” he told the court.
The DPP asked the witness if he was surprised or was proud of valuing the property of someone who holds such an influential position.
“I have no reason to be surprised, he’s just another client — I have valued for people who are billionaires,” he said, pointing out that his client is HSBC, and not Dr Mohamad Khir.
The prosecution has accused the former Selangor mentri besar of conspiring with the bank valuer to fix the price of his Section 7 house and land here at RM3.5 million.
Dr Mohamad Khir has, however, denied the allegation and repeatedly stressed that the value had been arrived at independently by Choy.
Choy had also denied that he had fixed the valuation price of the mansion and the land to favour the former Selangor Mentri Besar in order to tailor to the loan amount applied by the accused.
Dr Mohamad Khir is alleged to have obtained for himself and his wife two lots of land and a house at No. 8 and 10, Jalan Suasa 7/1L from Ditamas Sdn Bhd through its director Shamsuddin Hayroni.
The property was purchased at RM3.5 million although Ditamas had bought it for RM6.5 million on December 23, 2004.
The transaction was alleged to have been made when Dr Mohamad Khir knew that Shamsuddin had ties with his official duty as the Selangor mentri besar then.
Dr Mohamad Khir, the state assemblyman for Sungai Panjang, is alleged to have committed the offence at the official residence of the Selangor mentri besar at Jalan Permata 7/1, Section 7 here on May 29, 2007.
Defence lawyers have previously pointed out that Shamsuddin had purchased the properties through his company above the market value of RM4.3 million that was estimated by valuer Irhamy & Co back in 2005.
Judge Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi has set December 19 for submissions and December 23 for the decision.
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So that mansion is fit for billionaires, is Khir Toyo a filthy rich billionaire ? Income Tax Department, MACC did you really check how on earth he had accumulated his wealth.
MACC should arrest Toyo immediately to restore public confidence. Otherwise down to monsoon drain.
A valuation ordered by the prosecution , say from 4 different valuers, with regards to the price then would have settled the problem. But of course we know whose side the prosecution is on, don't we?
End result of this so called court case?... Toyo goes free. It's a waste of public funds.
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