The Malaysian Insight

WITNESSES from Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd at Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s trial have affirmed that RM6 million from the company to the former home minister’s personal charity foundation were not meant as “rewards” for appointing the company for government contracts, the defence said in court today.

Zahid’s lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh told the Kuala Lumpur High Court in the defence’s submission today that no demand or request “or any form of solicitation” had been made by the accused.

Hamidi cited the testimonies of former Datasonic chief executive officer Abu Hanifah Noordin and former deputy managing director Chew Ben Ben to support the defence’s argument. 

“It was Hanifah’s evidence that they (RM6 million) were meant as a political donation. Hanifah further elaborated that by political donation, he also meant acts of charity,” Hamidi said of two cheques that made up the amount given.

Zahid is facing two charges of corruptly receiving RM5 million and another RM1 million on April 26, 2017 from Datasonic, allegedly as a reward for appointing the information technology services management company to supply Malaysian passport chips for five years.

The charges are part of the total 47 graft-related charges the Umno president is facing involving funds from his charity, Yayasan Akalbudi.

Hamidi told the court today that Chew had also testified during cross-examination  previously that the bribery allegation was “slander” and was “not true”.

Chew’s witness statement also said he had suggested to Hanifah that a political donation be made to Barisan Nasional and given through Zahid.

“It was clear that Chew was the one who proposed the said political donation,” Hamidi said. 

The lawyer said that Datasonic also made a company announcement to Bursa Malaysia on October 19, 2018, to clarify that its directors did not issue any payment to Zahid to win the project they received in 2015.

Today is the eighth day of oral submissions by Zahid’s lawyers to present their final arguments before the court decides whether he should enter his defence.

Previously Hanifah, testifying as the 32nd prosecution witness, said he thought the two cheques totalling RM6 million that he signed at Chew’s request would be given to Umno and BN as political donations. 

Chew, the prosecution’s 34th witness, said previously he suggested the amount to Hanifah after he met Zahid at the latter’s official deputy prime minister’s residence at Seri Satria Putrajaya. 

“What came to my mind then was that BN needed money for the election. I then asked Zahid whether Hanifah and I could provide political funds to BN and how much was needed. 

“Zahid said it was up to me how much I wanted to give to BN,” Chew said during the trial in February last year.

Chew also said that Zahid told him to prepare a cheque for Lewis & Co, the trustee of charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi owned by Zahid.

Today, judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah asked Hamidi why Chew as a businessman would expose himself to corrupt practices by giving a political donation to the foundation. 

“Wouldn’t he be inclined to distance himself from corrupt practices?” Sequerah questioned. 

Hamidi submitted that there was no corruption involved.

“The witness came to court and said it as it is – it is slander. When they gave the money, they did not intend to give it as corrupt money.”

Zahid, 68, is currently facing 47 charges, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust, 27 counts of money-laundering, and eight counts of bribery charges involving tens of millions of ringgit of funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

The trial continues tomorrow. – September 20, 2021.