"UKSB agreed to give the political donations so as to ensure that its business would not be interrupted as there were several other companies lobbying for the job undertaken by UKSB, namely relating to the visa system,” the MACC officer said, adding Zahid had power and huge influence over decisions of policy and direction at that time as he was the home minister.
SHAH ALAM (Aug 10): Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi received S$13.56 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) between October 2014 and March 2018, as well as additional one-off cash contributions from the firm for Umno's 71st anniversary in 2017 and the general elections in 2018, a graftbuster told the High Court here.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Mahendran Vrejenan said the contributions were part of seven one-off cash donations UKSB made to the Umno president in different currencies (ringgit, Singapore dollars, US dollars, and Swiss francs) between June 2015 and March 2018 for various purposes.
Testifying in Zahid's corruption trial before High Court judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa, Mahendran said that in May 2017, UKSB gave Zahid S$1 million in conjunction with Umno's anniversary.
In 2018, Zahid received RM3 million from UKSB as campaign funds for the 14th general election, which was held on May 9 that year, the officer confirmed.
The contributions were allegedly made to induce Zahid, in his capacity as a civil servant and the home minister then, to extend the contract of UKSB as the operator of the one-stop centre in China and the foreign visa system (VLN system) as well as to maintain an agreement with the company to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia.
Mahendran also testified that Zahid had received:
- RM125,000 on June 2015 for Hari Raya celebrations
- S$120,000 in August 2015 for unspecified purposes
- 15,000 Swiss francs in May 2016 for unspecified purposes
- US$15,000 in July 2016 for unspecified purposes
- S$30,000 in October 2017 for his wife’s birthday celebrations.
The officer testified that he had interviewed UKSB directors during his investigations in this case, and they had confirmed with the officer that they had made the monthly cash donations to Zahid from 2014 to 2018 amounting to S$13.56 million.
The officer said Zahid had requested the money be given to the Umno president in Singapore dollars.
As for the seven one-off transactions, the officer did not elaborate further on how these were made.
Mahendran testified that he had begun investigating UKSB and Zahid after an MACC personnel had lodged a report about this with the commission.
As per instructions from his superior officer, who is the director of the MACC special operations division, Mahendran began his investigations on Sept 27, 2018.
According to the witness, MACC assistant enforcer S Vijaya Kumar had lodged, opened and prepared the report.
Mahendran said Zahid had asked UKSB to give financial help to Umno in exchange for these contracts.
The officer said Zahid made the request to two former UKSB directors, Harry Lee Vui Khiun and Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, who also testified in the trial, at the Umno president's residence in Country Heights, Kajang.
“UKSB agreed to give the political donations so as to ensure that its business would not be interrupted as there were several other companies lobbying for the job undertaken by UKSB, namely relating to the visa system,” the officer said, adding that Zahid had power and huge influence over decisions of policy and direction at that time as he was the home minister.
Wan Quoris said the financial aid given to Zahid was meant to strengthen the company’s position as a contractor for the Home Ministry.
Apart from that, the contributions were also made to reduce competition from other companies that were gunning for these contracts.
Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving the S$13.56 million (RM42 million) bribes from UKSB as an inducement.
On another seven counts, Zahid is charged, as the then home minister, to have obtained for himself S$1.15 million, RM3 million, 15,000 Swiss francs 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.