Zahid often gave donations, alms using his own money - witness   

Two senior officers who used to work with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the High Court today that the former deputy prime minister often gave donations and alms using his own money and funds from Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB).

One of them, Mohd Kamal Abdullah, 65, who was Ahmad Zahid's special officer, said Zahid mostly contributed to the construction of mosques, suraus and tahfiz centres, as well as donations for the poor, orphans and single mothers.

"During the early stage of the establishment of YAB, Zahid himself would deposit his own money into the foundation as donations for the needy.

“His contributions and donations were not only focused in the Bagan Datuk and Malacca areas but throughout the country and outside Malaysia. The donations were from his own money or through YAB,” he said.

Mohd Kamal, who is the sixth defence witness, said this when reading out his witness statement at the defence trial of Zahid, 69, faces 47 charges, namely 12 for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight charges of corruption and 27 charges of money laundering, involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB

Mohd Kamal said YAB contributed, among others, to the development of Imtiaz Ulul Al-Bab Secondary School in Malacca, as well as RM10 million for the construction of the Salmah Khamis Mosque and the Tuminah Hamidi Mosque in Bagan Datuk, which is still under construction and expected to be completed this month (November).

On the Al-Falah Foundation, Ahmad Kamal told the court that he was informed by Zahid that it was established to manage his late father’s estate for charity.

"The construction of Tuminah Hamidi Mosque is fully sponsored by Yayasan Akalbudi and Yayasan Al-Falah as developers. I know that the date for completion of the project has been delayed due to the freezing of the Akalbudi Foundation's account by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)," he said.

Earlier, Zahid's former Senior Private Secretary, Sabri Zainudin Zainul, 61, said during his time working with Zahid, many individuals who were at the Deputy Prime Minister's Office to meet him (Zahid) were to get financial assistance to continue their studies.

"Normally Datuk Seri Zahid agreed to help and provide cash. There was an occasion when he did not have cash, he called me and asked to give my money first,” he added.

The fifth defence witness said Zahid also made personal contributions to help cover expenses incurred by the Home Ministry for its Family Day.

At one juncture, during cross-examination by the prosecution, deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran chided the witness for not giving accurate answers to her questions.

“Do not turn this court into a coffee shop and do not makeup stories,” she said.

Raja Rozela had asked Sabri Zainudin whether he was involved when Zahid instructed his then executive-secretary, Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly, to use YAB's cheque to pay his ( Zahid’s) credit card.

When Sabri Zainudin did not answer the question accurately, despite being asked repeatedly by Raja Rozela, Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then suggested the prosecution to rephrase the questions.

The hearing continues tomorrow

- Bernama

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