Zahid's foundation set up to look after his political career, says witness
A witness in the criminal trial against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the court that the accused had suggested forming a dedicated foundation to look after the interest of his political career and the welfare of Bagan Datuk Umno division.
Fourth prosecution witness Mohd Samsuri Tun, who is a former director of Yayasan Akalbudi, testified this during the second day of the trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
A witness in the criminal trial against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the court that the accused had suggested forming a dedicated foundation to look after the interest of his political career and the welfare of Bagan Datuk Umno division.
Fourth prosecution witness Mohd Samsuri Tun, who is a former director of Yayasan Akalbudi, testified this during the second day of the trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
When questioned by Ahmad Zahid's defence counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, Samsuri claimed he was unsure whether the foundation was set up for charitable purposes.
"As far as I'm concerned, the original reason behind the inception of the foundation was to collect funds which would be used for the development of Bagan Datuk Umno division and aiding the political career of Ahmad Zahid," Samsuri said.
Earlier, when asked by deputy public prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt on his role in the company, Samsuri explained that he was appointed as a board of trustees for the Budi Foundation (later known as Akalbudi Foundation) but claimed that he had no knowledge what the funds were being used for.
"Over the period when I was in the board of trustees, I was the authorised signature for the cheques. I had pre-signed the empty cheques but I had no idea what they were being used for. I was only following orders from Ahmad Zahid to sign the cheques without being informed on the purpose (of the transactions)," he said.
In 1996, Ahmad Zahid was the Bagan Datuk Youth chief, while Samsuri was the treasurer of the division. According to Samsuri, the foundation was set-up in the following year.
According to his statement, Samsuri, who is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, said he had played a role in setting up the foundation. Other than him and Ahmad Zahid, another person in the board of trustees was Zulkifli Senteri. The secretary was Idris Kechik.
Zahid asked me to resign
However, Samsuri testified that the bank would not allow him to sign cheques due to "personal reasons" which led Ahmad Zahid to ask him to resign in 2012.
"In my opinion, I was asked to resign because I was not involved with the foundation's activities."
When pressed by the counsel to reveal what he meant when he said the bank would not allow him to sign cheques due to "personal reasons", Samsuri said it was because he had received a notice of bankruptcy.
Earlier, second witness Salma Hanum Ibrahim, who is assistant registrar at the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), had told the court that Samsuri was still listed as one of the directors of the foundation in the SSM system.
Subsequently, Samsuri said he was perplexed when he learnt that he still held the post when he had resigned years ago.
Unaware of funds containing millions of ringgit
Samsuri said the foundation's management never held meetings and Ahmad Zahid never informed on where he obtained the funds to organise and sustain the foundation's activities.
Samsuri claimed to be oblivious that the funds had millions of ringgit as he never saw any account or financial statements of the foundation.
During the cross-examination, Ahmad Zaidi asked why was Samsuri unaware of any statements and the foundation's activities when any letters would have been sent to his office address.
Samsuri was adamant that he had never seen such letters and, therefore, unaware of the funds and activities.
Asked if he was aware that Ahmad Zahid at that time held high posts for several companies which cumulatively paid him RM120,000 per month, Samsuri was also unaware.
When Ahmad Zaidi listed down several charities by the foundation, Samsuri only answered: "I don't know."
That brought Ahmad Zaidi to tell Samsuri that he had transferred more than half of the amount from the salary into the foundation's funds, which would then be used for numerous charity purposes mostly related to Islam in and out of the country.
Ahmad Zahid is facing 47 charges, including 12 criminal breach of trust, eight counts of receiving gratification, and 27 counts of money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi's funds.
Ahmad Zahid was slapped with the charges on Oct 19 and Dec 14 last year, and Feb 20 this year.
All the charges were made under Section 409 of the Penal Code (for criminal breach of trust); Section 16(1)(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2019 (bribery); and Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amlatfapua).
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