KUALA LUMPUR : The High Court was told today that Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi received two cheques valued at RM6 million from Datasonic Group Berhad (DGB) Deputy Managing Director Chew Ben Ben, which was then handed over to Messrs Lewis Co.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Investigating Officer Mohd Hizar Farhan Abdul Razi, 32, said both cheques were handed over by Chew to Ahmad Zahid at the former deputy prime minister's official residence in Seri Satria, Putrajaya in 2017.
The court had been told before this that Lewis Co was the trustee of the Yayasan Akalbudi owned by Ahmad Zahid.
Based on the 14th and 15th charge, Ahmad Zahid is alleged to have received bribes amounting to RM6 million from Chew as an inducement to appoint Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd (DTSB) to implement a five-year passport chip project or 12.5 million chips for the Malaysian passport polycarbonate biodata page for the Immigration Department through direct negotiations under the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN).
Mohd Hizar Farhan said the cheques were obtained from Chew following a shortage of passport supply in 2016 after /spanspanDTSB was awarded the passport chip supply contract in 2015.
"Chew was called to meet the accused (Ahmad Zahid) on Sept 16 2016 to explain the lack of supply in passports.
“A few months later, in mid-April 2017, Chew was again called to meet the accused at his official residence in Seri Satria, Putrajaya and at the meeting (end of April 2017), Chew handed over two cheques amounting to RM6 million to the accused," he said when reading out his witness statement during the main examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Gan Peng Kun.
He said this at the trial of the former deputy prime minister, who is facing corruption, abuse of power and money laundering charges involving millions of ringgit in funds from Yayasan Akalbudi.
The 91st prosecution witness said Ahmad Zahid, who was also Home Minister then, had instructed the Home Ministry secretary-general to act on DGB’s application for the supply of chips.
“Following this, the secretary-general directed the then secretary of the ministry’s procurement division, Datuk Abd Aziz Md Nor to provide comments and views to the Ministry of Finance on the matter.
"Only after Abd Aziz received a letter from the Home Minister's office dated Sept 8, 2014 priority was given to the application for the supply of passport chips for five years or 12.5 million chips for the Malaysian passport polycarbonate biodata page.
"After receiving a letter from the office of the Deputy Prime Minister dated Oct 20, 2015, Abd Aziz instructed the assistant secretary-general of the ministry’s procurement division to expedite the decision on price negotiations to the Procurement Board so that the Letter of Acceptance can be expedited as directed by the accused," he said.
When asked by Gan during re-examination, the witness agreed that the contract awarded to DTSB to supply the passport chips was in accordance with proper standard operating procedures.
Gan: If the accused had not agreed to the contract being given to DTSB, would the MOF have awarded it?
Ahmad Zahid, 68, faces 47 charges, 12 of them for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit of funds from Yayasan Akalbudi.
The trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Mar 04 2021
The court had been told before this that Lewis Co was the trustee of the Yayasan Akalbudi owned by Ahmad Zahid. - BERNAMA
Kertas kabinet wujud sektor sukan dibentang dalam tempoh sebulan - Hannah
Hannah berkata dengan data yang lebih menyeluruh melibatkan sektor industri sukan nanti, pihaknya akan mampu merangsang pertumbuhan sukan di negara ini dengan lebih baik.
Tiga Syarikat Semikonduktor umum melabur di Pulau Pinang - Kon Yeow
Tiga syarikat semikonduktor dari China menyatakan komitmen untuk membuat pelaburan baharu di Pulau Pinang.
Pindaan garis panduan lawatan: Sekolah diharap susun semula program - Fadhlina
Semua sekolah diharap dapat menyusun semula program lawatan masing-masing berikutan pindaan Garis Panduan Lawatan Murid Sekolah pada tahun lepas bagi mengukuhkan pembelajaran di luar kelas, kata Menteri Pendidikan, Fadhlina Sidek.
Kebajikan pendidikan anak-anak dijaga sehingga tamat sekolah - KPM
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia akan memastikan kebajikan pendidikan anak-anak 10 pegawai dan anggota Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia yang terkorban dalam nahas helikopter di Lumut, Perak, terus dijaga sehingga mereka tamat persekolahan.
Zahid minta pihak dalam BN buka "buku baharu"
Ahmad Zahid menegaskan senario politik tanah air sudah berubah dan terdapat banyak video lama dari parti lawan yang meminta pengundi menyokong DAP.
Malaysia kongsi pengalaman dalam usaha berterusan mempertahan Palestin
Delegasi negara akan berkongsikan peranan Malaysia dalam usaha berterusan mempertahankan nasib Palestin dalam Persidangan Liga Parlimen Al-Quds kelima yang berlangsung di Istanbul, Turki pada Sabtu.
Universiti Malaya mohon maaf kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia
Jabatan Pengajian Antarabangsa dan Strategik, Universiti Malaya memohon maaf kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia berhubung kenytaaan tidak bertanggungjawab Profesor Dr Bruce Gilley pada 24 April lalu.
Genting Malaysia nafi terbabit perbincangan
Selepas Berjaya Corporation Bhd dan Kerajaan Negeri Johor, kini Genting Malaysia Bhd pula menafikan sebarang penglibatan dalam perbincangan mengenai pengoperasian kasino di Forest City, Johor.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Sabtu, 27 April 2024.
Lima cedera dalam tembakan di luar kelab malam di Washington
Lima cedera dalam insiden tembakan di luar sebuah kelab malam di Washington, Amerika Syarikat pada lewat Jumaat.
Bills to televise court proceedings tabled for first reading
Subsection 69 (1) of the Act was also proposed to be amended to allow receiving statements via remote communication technology.