The Sessions Court hearing the corruption case involving former Immigration director-general Wahid Md Don was today told that the approval for 4,337 calling visas for Bangladeshi workers

involved payments totalling RM1.2 million.

Businessman Zulkafli Maulud, 53, said the amount was for the overall payment with each worker charged RM300 of which RM20 was for him and RM280 for Low Chang Hian.

From the total payments received for the purpose, he said, he received RM86,740 and Low received RM1,214,360.

He also told the court that he befriended Low in 2007 while playing golf and that Low had helped him five to six times to obtain visa approvals.

Zulkafli, who was detained by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) on July 9, 2008, said that after the interrogation, he was asked on the name of the person who managed the workers' visa and the amount charged.

"I said I sent the information to Low. I was asked to contact Low to settle the remaining payment of RM256,400," he said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Kamal Ariffin Ismail.

Wahid, 57, is charged with receiving RM60,000 from Low, who is a businessman, to speed up the approval of visas for 4,337 Bangladeshi workers at his house at Jalan Lembah Ledang, Jalan Duta, at about 10.15 on July 10, 2007.

Zulkafli said that before he was questioned by the ACA, he had made three payments to Low, in the sum of RM350,000, RM320,00 and RM251,000.

Sting operation

He said he was instructed by an ACA officer to make the remaining payment to Low on the night of July 9, 2008 and was also told to give a signal to the ACA officer tailing him during the handing over of the money.

"I reached the PJ Hilton Hotel at 9.45pm with cash of RM256,400 and a cheque for RM98,000, which was the amount I still owed Low.   

"I got the cheque from an employer who applied for the calling visa, while the cash money, also from the employer with the ACA topping up some.

"Low and his wife came at about 10pm. The officer who accompanied me sat at a table next to mine.

"I was instructed to hand the money to Low, who accepted the cash, but returned the cheque and asked me to cash it first," he added.

Zulkafli said after handing over the money to Low, he took off his spectacles to signal that the transaction was done.

Hearing before judge Rosbiahanim Ariffin continues tomorrow.

- Bernama