SHAH ALAM: Former prime ministers and ex-ministers as well as an Umno office-bearer were named as recipients of political donations, the High Court heard.
Former Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun, 47, said the company had given RM2.6mil to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The 17th prosecution witness said this during cross-examination yesterday by Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, representing Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the former deputy prime minister’s Foreign Visa System (VLN) corruption trial, when the ledger on his laptop was referred to him.
Asked by Ahmad Zaidi if Dr Mahathir had received political contributions, Tan replied: “Yes, and (also) the party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia)”.
He further told the court that the funds were paid through Dr Mahathir’s nephew, Tan Sri Rahmat Abu Bakar, with the code “Kedahan” used as reference.
Ahmad Zaidi: That RM2.6mil was given to Tan Sri Rahmat to be given to Tun Mahathir, is that correct, for political funds?
Tan: That’s correct.
Tan also told the court that UKSB had also given political contributions to Bersatu president and former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin through his (Muhyiddin’s) good friend, Datuk Teo Wee Cheng, who is also SHH Resources Sdn Bhd director.
The witness also agreed with Ahmad Zaidi that the money received by Ahmad Zahid was meant as political funds.
Earlier, Tan, when cross-examined by lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh, acting for Ahmad Zahid, told the court that Umno information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan, former transport minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy and former international trade and industry minister Tan Sri Ong Ka Chuan were also given political donations by UKSB.
Tan said the amounts were RM1.162mil to Shahril, Chan (RM7.85mil) and Ong (RM922,820), who were given the code names “S Pat”, “Prof” and “OKC”, respectively, as written in the ledger book.
When asked by Hamidi if Shahril Sufian was a good friend of Wan Badak (who is UKSB former director Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani) and KJ (Khairy Jamaluddin), the witness said “true”.
Hamidi: He is being paid monthly from that ledger?
Tan: That is correct.
Hamidi: It’s for political funding and general election?
Tan: Yes.
Tan also agreed with Hamidi’s suggestion that Shahril, who is Umno Youth vice-chief, was also given the political contribution because of his close relations with Wan Quoris Shah and Khairy.
Meanwhile, when re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong on why no police reports were lodged against those who had denied receiving the political donations from UKSB, Tan said he had no intention of doing so (lodge a police report) as the monies had been given out and the court proceedings were ongoing.
Ahmad Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil (RM42mil) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as operator of the One-Stop Centre (OSC) in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the Home Ministry.
On another seven counts, Ahmad Zahid was charged as home minister with having obtained for himself S$1,150,000, RM3mil, 15,000 euro and US$15,000 in cash from the same company in connection with his official work.
He is charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.
The hearing before judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues today. — Bernama