Two witnesses in the corruption trial of former Federal Territory Umno Youth chief Mohamad Norza Zakaria and his agent Halimi Kamaruzzaman told the Temerloh Sessions Court that receiving money at a function was not strange and surprising.

A Maran Umno division committee member Nasaruddin Abdullah, 47, contended that he did not feel abnormal when he received a handout from another divisional committee member, Khadri Musa at a function at Temerloh Umno division vice-head Mohammad Anuar Yunus's residence on Jan 20 last year.

Cross-examined by Halimi's counsel Jahaberdeen Mohd Yunoos on his contention, Nasaruddin, who is the 12th prosecution witness, said both of them had always been giving money to each other.

Jahaberdeen: When Datuk Khadri gave (the money), did you feel strange?

Nasaruddin: It was normal as we always meet each other, he (Khadri) gave me some money, sometime I also gave him some money... both of us are contractors.

Earlier, during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Hairy, Nasaruddin said he did received RM300 and had spent the money.

Asked who had given him the money, Nasaruddin said he did not know.

Mohamad Norza, 43, who was also a former Umno supreme council member, is accused of giving a bribe of RM1,500 to Khadri through Halimi to be distributed to the delegates as an inducement to vote for him in the contest for a seat in the council at the last Umno general assembly.

He also faces another charge of giving a bribe of RM1,900 to Mohammad Anuar Yunus through Halimi for the same purpose.

Both charges were alleged to have been committed at 6.30pm on Jan 20, 2009 at No 38, Pinggiran Tasik, Taman Bandar Temerloh in Temerloh.

Halimi, 47, from Bandar Indera Mahkota, Kuantan is charged on two counts of giving bribes to Khadri and Mohammad Anuar on behalf of Mohamad Norza at the same time, date and place.

They give each other money

Another witness, Felda public relations officer Shaiful Azman Mohtar  Afendi, 46, said he was not surprised when he received a handout from Khadri at a function as he had known him (Khadri) since he was small.

Shaiful Azman said Khadri sometimes asked him for money and likewise he had also asked him (Khadri) for money.

Shaiful Azman, who is also Maran Umno division information chief, said Khadri knew that he had just came back from the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election then and might need some money.

Jahaberdeen: So in your mind, you felt that the handout was given by a concerned friend?

Shaiful Azman: Yes.

The trial before judge Azuar Che Yusof Hearing was adjourned to April 2.

- Bernama