Siti Hasmah's brother testifies in Zahid's trial

General Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali (Rtd), the brother of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's wife Dr Siti Hasmah Ali, testified in the trial of former deputy premier Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Hashim, who is the chairperson and shareholder of Datasonic Group Berhad (DGB), was the 29th witness.

In his testimony, Hashim said he had signed several letters addressed to former premier Najib Abdul Razak and Zahid, who was also the then home minister.

Among them was a letter to Zahid in 2014 informing him that DGB was interested in supplying the chips for Malaysian passports.

The letter, according to Hashim, also contained DGB's suggestion for the government to save as much as RM75 million for a period of five years.

The retired general also told the court that he inked another letter to Zahid to obtain a letter of acceptance from the government on DGB’s offer to supply 12.5 million chips to be embedded in the passports.

The proceedings today took place before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

During cross-examination, Hashim agreed with Zahid’s defence counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal’s suggestion that the contract is not a new contract, but an old contract that can be extended.

For the record, Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd (DTSB) was previously awarded a contract to supply passports, alongside Iris and Percetakan Keselamatan Nasional Sdn Bhd.

Hashim also agreed with Ahmad Zaidi that although the contract was “extended” during Ahmad Zahid’s tenure as home minister, the award of the original contract in 2012 took place before he became home minister.

However, during re-examination by deputy public persecutor Gan Peng Kun, Hashim said his statement that the DTSB contract had been extended was merely his personal view.

“It is a personal interpretation that it is an extension of contract […]

“Perhaps we should ask the Finance Ministry whether this is a new contract or an extension,” he said, noting that the ministry is responsible for approving contracts awarded through direct negotiation.

[More to follow]