TWO contractors told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that they received cheques totalling RM156,500 to carry out plumbing work, build cabinets and other renovation works on Najib Razak’s private residence in 2014 and 2015. 

The money came from an account that prosecutors said belonged to the former prime minister.

Interior kitchen cabinet designer Zulkarnain Mohamad, 46, of ABS Trend Master Sdn Bhd, said they built a store, pantry, rack and cabinet at Najib’s No. 11, Jalan Langgak Duta home in Kuala Lumpur. 

Mohamad Zakariya Zearat Khan, from specialist plumbing business Moz Malaysia Sdn Bhd, also constructed a 12,000-litre water tank to resolve water supply problems at Najib’s house. 

The men, the sixth and seventh witness respectively, worked for companies that received cheques issued from Najib’s bank account, according to testimony earlier today by AmBank cheque-processing officer Badrul Hisam Mohamad.

Badrul showed evidence that a cheque for RM100,000 was issued to ABS Trend Master dated February 12, 2015, while another cheque for RM56,500 was issued to Moz Malaysia on February 24, 2015.

Both Zulkarnain and Zakariya confirmed they received those cheques.

Zulkarnain testified he received a call from Amirul, who he said was a manager of Najib’s private residence, in mid-2014.

He said he met Amirul at a petrol station near the residence before being taken there.  

“I asked Mr Amirul, what am I supposed to do? He answered, ‘I want a store and cabinet’,” Zulkarnain said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi.

“I asked, whose house is this? He said Datuk Seri Najib, and I said I am not worthy. But he said it can be done.”

“I measured and drafted and I made plans; I called a designer to make building plans,” Zulkarnain said.

Zulkarnain said he was commissioned to build a store, pantry, rack and cabinet and said he quoted either “RM234,000 or RM243,000” for the project. The works were completed in early 2015 and he was paid via progress payments with a final payment of RM100,000 via a cheque that he cashed in at a Maybank branch in Setia Alam, Shah Alam.

Zulkarnain testified he only worked at the residence when Najib was not at home, adding he was not privy to other areas of the residence, with exception to the exterior. 

He added occasionally, functions were held at the residence, including for orphans. 

When prompted by Najib’s lead counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, on how he knew they were orphans, Zulkarnain said they were wearing white, after which the courtroom broke out in laughter.

Meanwhile, Zakariya said he formed Moz (M) Sdn Bhd, which is involved in specialist plumbing.

Zakariya testified that his company was a Syabas (Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor) panel and maintains pipelines in Kuala Lumpur and Gombak, Selangor.

He said he was commissioned to work on a water tank at Najib’s house in early 2015, and dealt with Amirul and a Datuk Fuad.

He estimated that 10 to 20 people lived in the house.

Zakariya said he never met Najib but was asked if he recognised him, to which he replied in the affirmative.

When asked to identify Najib, Zakariya did so by saying, “belakang tuan (behind you, sir)”, where Najib was seated the dock. The courtroom erupted in laughter.

Saifuddin: What did you do with the cheque?

Zakariya: I banked it in.

Saifuddin: What happened to the money?

Zakariya: I’ve finished it.

The court then adjourn at 5pm, after which Zakariya shook hands with Najib outside the courthouse.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allowed the adjournment after ad hoc prosecutor V. Sithambaram told the court that prosecutors had prior engagements.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, who was present during the afternoon session of today’s hearing, told Nazlan that he had to attend a meeting on the separation of powers between the office of the A-G and the public prosecutor.
 
The trial will continue on Monday. – April 18, 2019.