KUALA LUMPUR – The high court was today told that Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi requested a RM10 million donation from a Singaporean entrepreneur for Yayasan Akalbudi, which the former deputy prime minister owns, through Tetuan Lewis & Co.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigating officer Christ Sheldon Merun, 32, said in a meeting between Wong Sang Woo @ Wong Shuh Chain, who is a director of Chia Bee Enterprise Sdn Bhd, and Zahid at a dinner in 2015, the accused said the contribution was to assist the needy.
“Wong knew Zahid for the first time in 2015 at a dinner. Zahid introduced himself as the home minister, and Wong introduced himself as an entrepreneur from Singapore involved in share investment, timber business, property investment, fashion and deliveries.
“Wong said during the dinner, Zahid asked him to donate as a philanthropist, and Wong agreed to donate to Yayasan Akalbudi, which was founded by Zahid.
“At the end of the dinner, Zahid mentioned a sum of RM10 million to Wong, and the latter said he would consider it, as he needed time to come up with the amount,” he said when reading out his witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Harris Ong Mohd Jeffrey Ong.
The 98th witness was addressing the 51st day of Zahid’s trial, in which the Umno president faces a slew of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money-laundering charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
A total of 98 witnesses, including nine MACC investigating officers, have testified, and another investigating officer will be called before the prosecution closes its case.
Yesterday, MACC investigating officer Mohd Amirudin Nordin, 38, told the court that the anti-graft agency recorded a conversation with Wong to carry out a probe into the RM10 million contribution from Chia Bee to Yayasan Akalbudi via Lewis & Co.
Amirudin, the 96th prosecution witness, said Wong could not be traced to give his statement in court, and a check with the Immigration Department showed that he is now overseas.
He said his investigation did not find supporting documents or letters to say the 10 cheques from Chia Bee amounting to RM10 million were donations.
In this regard, Christ Sheldon, who recorded a conversation with Wong at a hotel in Kuching, Sarawak, on February 22, 2019, said in early 2016, the businessman received a call from a person ordered by Zahid to enquire about the RM10 million, apart from clarifying to Wong that it was for Yayasan Akalbudi’s charity work.
“Wong believed the request was true, as the person also referred to the conversation between him and Zahid at a dinner in 2015, and told him to make the payment to Lewis & Co (a trustee of Yayasan Akalbudi).”
He said Wong gave the contribution through his company, Chia Bee, as he felt it was a privilege when a deputy prime minister asked for a donation for Yayasan Akalbudi.
“As the owner of Chia Bee, he has the right to use the company to make the contribution. Wong used Chia Bee to make the donation, as he wanted to raise the profile of the company in Malaysia.”
He said Wong ordered the eligible cheque signatories to prepare 10 cheques for a sum of RM1 million each as requested by Zahid, and did not know why the cheques had to be made out separately.
“Wong could not remember the person who asked him to issue the cheques, as he was not in Malaysia at that time, and Wong did not contact Zahid since the meeting in 2015. But in 2016, he knew that Zahid had become deputy prime minister,” said the witness, who joined MACC in 2014.
On the RM10 million loan from KTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, Christ Sheldon said Wong borrowed RM10 million from the company through a friend, Ngu Ngiong Hieng, who died in 2017.
“Wong said based on his friendship with Ngu, he was able to ask for RM10 million as a temporary loan to enable him to realise the pledge to Zahid to donate to Yayasan Akalbudi.
“On the temporary loan obtained from Ngu, there was no agreement or documentation, as it was based on their friendship and trust.”
He said Zahid told “his people” to contact Wong for the contribution in early 2016, and Wong later arranged for the donation to be handed through his company, and the payment was made on April 21, 2016.
Zahid, 68, faces 47 charges, 12 of which are for CBT, corruption (8) and money laundering (27) involving millions in Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
The case is being heard before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah. – Bernama, March 11, 2021
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