THE High Court heard on Thursday that the finance manager of KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd (KESB), a contractor involved in the Jana Wibawa programme, was instructed to prepare four cheques totalling RM800,000 as contributions to Bersatu.
Prosecution witness Zuriedah Deres @ Musa, the company's finance manager, said in her witness statement that she was directed at KCJ Engineering's office in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, to prepare the cheques for donation to the political party.
She told the court that KCJ Engineering managing director Datuk Azman Yusoff instructed her to prepare the cheques for the contribution.
Zuriedah, the prosecution's 19th witness, also confirmed that she was informed by Azman that the contribution was related to the Jana Wibawa project awarded to KESB.
However, she said she was not given further details about the project and merely carried out her duties in preparing the cheques.
During earlier proceedings, the court was told that KESB was among 54 companies proposed by then-prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin through a letter dated Nov 13, 2020, to undertake Jana Wibawa projects via direct negotiation.
On Wednesday, Negeri Sembilan Public Works Department director Datuk Wan Hasnan Wan Musa testified that the department had paid RM24.4 million to KESB for the construction of a new road linking FELDA Bukit Jalor to Gemas under the Jana Wibawa programme.
Zuriedah told the court that four cheques worth RM200,000 each were prepared for the contribution and were signed by KESB directors Mohd Zaid Yusoff and Zulhelmi Mairin.
"I confirm that I prepared four cheques dated Sept 1, 2022, with each cheque valued at RM200,000.
"I also confirm that I made handwritten notations on all four cheques stating that the payment was to Bersatu," she said.
When questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Nur Iman Wan Mohd Afzal on whether she had previously prepared cheques for political donations, Zuriedah said this was the only occasion she had done so.
"I have never prepared donations through cheques before... this was the first time I prepared a cheque for a political party," she said.
She added that she knew the purpose of the cheques and their intended recipient because Azman had personally informed her.
"The cheques were signed by Mohd Zaid and Zulhelmi because they were the directors available at the time. I also explained to them that the cheques were issued on Datuk Azman's instructions as a contribution.
"Datuk Azman would call me and instruct me to issue cheques to whomever he wanted. I also received similar instructions from the other directors."
Asked who the cheques were prepared for, she replied: "As far as I can remember, they were contributions to a political party."
During cross-examination by defence counsel Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, Zuriedah agreed that KESB had also made contributions to other political parties.
Zuriedah is testifying in the trial of Muhyiddin, who faces charges of abuse of power and money laundering involving the Jana Wibawa programme.
The court also heard evidence from the 18th prosecution witness, Indra Khairil Bahrain, secretary of the Cabinet, Constitution and Inter-Governmental Relations Division at the Prime Minister's Department.
The trial before Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin continues on Friday. - July 16, 2026
