The Malaysian Insight

PERLIS cops have recorded statements from two people, including a man who was duped into believing National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan owed him money for car rental services.

Last month, Wan Saiful, who is formerly the Perlis Bersatu secretary, lodged a police report after he discovered that a party colleague had rented cars in his name and he was to foot the RM12,000 bill.

He also discovered that the 47-year-old impostor had a fake letter purportedly issued by the party treasurer-general with instructions for RM188,449 to be paid into his account.

Perlis police chief senior assistant commissioner Noor Mushar Mohd said police have taken the statements of Wan Saiful and the suspect and screenshots of the WhatsApp conversation between the two. 

The police also took a copy of a fake letter purportedly issued by the Bersatu treasurer-general, he said.

According to the police report, the suspect had sent the owner of the cars a screenshot of his conversation with Wan Saiful to show that the latter would foot the bill for the rentals.

Wan Saiful has denied agreeing to pay.

The car owner also asked Wan Saiful about the authenticity of a letter with instructions for a RM188,449 payment for an event organised by the Arau Bersatu division in Perlis.

The suspect had offered the car owner another deal – a contract to supply food for the Arau Bersatu event –  and told the latter to include the car rental fees in the tender quotation which he said should total RM188,449.

The suspect next sent the car owner a snapshot of a December 12 letter, which stated that the money would be deposited into Wan Saiful’s account by the Bersatu treasurer-general for the purpose of paying for the car rental and catering service.

“Wan Saiful denied there was such an event organised by Arau Bersatu. 

“After checking with Bersatu treasurer-general Mohd Salleh Bajuri and the state party treasurer, he also discovered that no such letter was received by the party.

“There was no such payment to be made by Bersatu to the victim,” Mushar said.

He said there was no losses incurred from the alleged fraud, which was now being probed under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.

Wan Saiful disclosed the case yesterday hours after Perlis Bersatu announced that he had been dropped as state secretary, raising speculations about his removal.

He said that he was told to withdraw the police report but he had refused.

Wan Saiful also alleged that he was offered money to ”arrange” for a multi-million ringgit government contract to be awarded to a company with links to the son of a Perlis Bersatu leader.  

State party chief Amier Hassan said Wan Saiful was dropped because he was too busy with his duties as PTPTN chairman and had little time for party meetings in Perlis.

Bersatu secretary-general Marzuki Yahya said yesterday that the party was not informed of Perlis Bersatu’s decision to remove Wan Saiful.

He also said the party would investigate Wan Saiful’s claims, adding that if there was an integrity issue, the state leadership would see a revamp. – January 7, 2019.