CNA – A key witness told the Shah Alam High Court yesterday that former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad had received a political donation of MYR2.6 million (USD580,000) from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB).
UKSB is a local company implicated in the ongoing corruption trial of former deputy prime minister and United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes totalling MYR42 million from UKSB as an inducement to extend the company’s contract as the operator of the One Stop Centre (OSC) service in China and the foreign visa system (VLN) for the Home Ministry.
According to Bernama, former UKSB administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun said the firm gave MYR2.6 million to Dr Mahathir for political funding purposes.
Tan said during cross-examination by defence lawyer Ahmad Zaidi Zainal that the funds were paid through Dr Mahathir’s nephew Rahmat Abu Bakar, with the code ‘Kedahan’ used as reference in the ledger.
When asked by the defence lawyer on whether the MYR2.6 million was given to Rahmat to be given to Dr Mahathir for political funds, Tan replied, “That’s correct.”
He said the contributions were for Dr Mahathir as well as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which Dr Mahathir co-founded in 2016 after leaving UMNO.
Dr Mahathir was also Bersatu chairman from 2016 to February 2020.
According to Tan, two payments of MYR1.3 million each were made after Malaysia’s 14th general election in August and September 2018 respectively, Malay Mail reported.
Tan was also questioned by the defence over the purported political funding given to Pagoh MP and former home minister Muhyiddin Yassin in 2018, totalling MYR1.3 million in relation to the VLN.
Tan told the court that UKSB made the contribution to Muhyiddin through SHH Resources Sdn Bhd director Teo Wee Cheng, whom Tan described as Muhyiddin’s good friend.
In addition to the 33 bribery charges, Ahmad Zahid was also charged with another seven counts as home minister for receiving cash in several currencies totalling over MYR6.85 million.
In May, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that a special Cabinet committee had agreed in principle to the proposed enactment of the Political Funding Bill to regulate the financial activities of political parties.
