Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi – File photo
SHAH ALAM (May 25): The High Court was told today that Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was requested twice by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to continue the contract of Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) as the sole operator of the Foreign Visa (VLN) system to Malaysia in China.
Former principal assistant secretary at the Immigration Affairs Division of the Home Ministry, Azman Azra Abdul Rahman @ Md Salleh said the request was based on minutes made by the former Prime Minister in two letters, dated May 23, 2013 and Jan 20, 2014, that were sent to Ahmad Zahid.
He said the letters and minutes received by Ahmad Zahid, who was then also Home Minister, were from UKSB to Najib to request the Pekan MP’s consideration to retain the company as the sole operator of the visa management to Malaysia in China.
“On May 23, 2013, the Prime Minister had sent a minute (in writing) to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid that UKSB’s application needed to be approved.
“The minute, dated Jan 20, 2014 states‘ YB Datuk Sri Zahid, Please Assist In This Matter. This contract should be continued’, he said when reading out his witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Lim Wai Keong on the second day trial of Ahmad Zahid’s corruption case involving millions of ringgit regarding the VLN contract.
Azman Azra, who is the second prosecution witness, said that on Feb 28, 2014, an agreement was signed between UKSB and the government to supply the VLN system.
“The agreement was for six years from Nov 1, 2013 to Oct 31, 2019. Under the agreement, UKSB was required to develop, integrate and maintain the VLN System at its own cost without charging any cost to the government.
“The government also allowed UKSB to collect charges at a rate that did not exceed the ceiling rate of RM105 for every application for a Malaysian Visa,” he said.
When cross-examined by lawyer Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, representing Ahmad Zahid, 68, the witness said the minutes sent by Najib to Ahmad Zahid were directives.
Meanwhile, during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, of the first prosecution witness, Assistant registrar of companies and businesses of the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), Muhamad Akmaludin Abdullah, 38, the court was told that the information recorded on SSM’s certificate did not necessarily reflect the actual financial position of UKSB.
Ahmad Zahid is charged with 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to SGD13.56 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant, then as Home Minister, to extend the contract of the company as the operator of a One Stop Centre (OSC) service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract to supply the VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the Home Ministry.
He allegedly committed the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya and in Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.
The charges framed under Section 16 (a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same act, provides a maximum of 20 years in jail and a fine not less than five times of the value of the gratification or RM10,000 whichever is higher upon conviction.
On seven other charges, Ahmad Zahid was charged, in his capacity as Home Minister then, for accepting SGD1,150,000, RM3,000,000, EURO15,000 and USD15,000 without consideration from the same company which he knew had connection with his function.
He was charged with committing the offences at a house in Country Heights, between June 2015 and October 2017.
The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of two years or fine or both if found guilty.
The hearing before judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues on Thursday. – BERNAMA