I wouldn't have accepted the donation if I knew it was from illegal activities, says Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) told the High Court here on Monday (Aug 29) that as a Muslim, he would have rejected donations channeled to Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) if he knew they had come from illegal activities.

Ahmad Zahid, 69, who was referring to a RM10mil contribution received from a donor from Sarawak through a businessman, Wong Sang Woo @ Wong Shuh Chain, said the money received via 10 cheques was clean.

"The donor was from Sarawak and Wong was a partner to that donor who is not from Malaysia. As he was abroad, he handed over the donation through Wong.

"As such, I was of the view that the money received was not derived from illegal activities or illegal sources. As a Muslim, if I knew it was from illegal sources, I would have turned down such contributions. That is my stand,” he said.

The former deputy prime minister said this during re-examination by his lawyer, Hamidi Mohd Noh when making his defence on 47 charges, involving 12 for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight charges for corruption and 27 charges for money laundering, involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB).

Prior to this, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Christ Sheldon Merun told the court that Ahmad Zahid had requested for a RM10mil donation from Wong, a director of Chia Bee Enterprise Sdn Bhd, at a dinner in 2015, in which the accused had said that the contribution was to assist the poor and the needy.

MACC investigating officer, Mohd Amirudin Nordin Wong had also testified previously that Wong could not be located to testify and a check with the Immigration Department showed that he was abroad, adding that only his witness statement could be produced in court.

On the RM7.5mil donation received by Yayasan Al-Bukhary, Ahmad Zahid said although the donation was received from his friend, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary in the form of cash, it was not for his personal use.

Ahmad Zahid said the money was a political contribution or a charitable donation based on bai’ah (allegiance), and therefore, was not deposited into his personal account.

"The money could not be deposited into Yayasan Akalbudi in cash. Omar Ali Abdullah, a money changer, converted the cash (RM7.5mil) into cheque payments and into the account of Messrs. Lewis & Co who are the trustees of the Yayasan Akalbudi.

"Switching it into cheques was the initiative of Omar Ali himself, and not upon my instruction,” he added.

The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Tuesday (Aug 30).- Bernama