More names revealed having received funds, Court told

SHAH ALAM: Two former ministers and an Umno office bearer had also received political donations, the High Court heard on Monday (July 25).

Former UKSB administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun, 47, told this to the court when cross-examined by lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh, representing former deputy prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the corruption case involving the Foreign Visa System (VLN).

The High Court was told that Umno Information Chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan, former Transport Minister Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy and former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Ong Ka Chuan were also given political donations by Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB).

Tan, who is the 17th prosecution witness, said UKSB gave political contributions amounting to RM1.162mil to Shahril Sufian, Chan (RM7.85mil) and Ong (RM922,820), who were given the code name 'S Pat' 'Prof' and OKC, respectively, as written in the ledger book.

Questioned by Hamidi where Shahril Sufian was a good friend of Wan Badak (who is UKSB former director Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani) and KJ (Khairy Jamaluddin), the witness said "True".

Hamidi: He is being paid monthly from that ledger?

Tan: That is correct.

Hamidi: It’s for political funding and general election?

Tan: Yes.

Tan also agreed with Hamidi’s suggestion that Shahril Sufian, who is Umno Youth vice-chief, was also given the political contribution because of his close relations with Wan Quoris Shah and Khairy.

Meanwhile, when re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong on why no police report was lodged against those who had denied receiving the political donations from UKSB, Tan said he had no intention of doing so (lodge a police report), as the monies had been given out and the court proceeding was ongoing.

Ahmad Zahid is facing 40 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil (RM42mil) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the One-Stop Centre (OSC) in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the home ministry.

On another seven counts, Ahmad Zahid was charged as home minister to have obtained for himself S$1,150,000, RM3mil, €15,000 and US$15,000 in cash from the same company in connection with his official work.

He is charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.

The hearing before Judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues on Tuesday (July 26). – Bernama