AN Umno division leader told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor handed him more than RM1 million in cash for volunteer activities to assist the Barisan Nasional machinery in the 2016 Sg Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

Zakaria Dullah of Simpang Renggam Umno said the money, totalling RM1,007,600, was given to him at the party secretary-general’s office at Putra World Trade Centre after former Federal Territories minister Tengku Adnan told him to prepare a budget for the said activities.

“Besides the RM1,007,600, (Tengku Adnan) also gave me RM40,000 for personal expenses as I was the coordinator for the two by-elections.

“(He) gave me the money (RM40,000) to ensure I did not use the RM1,007,600 for my personal expenses. The money was given by him personally,” said the 51-year-old during examination-in-chief by lawyer Tan Hock Chuan, who is representing Tengku Adnan in his RM2 million corruption case.

The fourth defence witness, reading out his statement, said the activities included volunteers holding tuition classes, seminars, gotong-royong, and sports and religious events, such as the breaking of fast during Ramadan.

“In Sg Besar, there were 600 volunteers involved at 30 district polling centres, and in Kuala Kangsar, there were 520 volunteers at 26 centres.”

To a question by deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim, Zakaria said he did not keep a record of the expenses incurred.

Julia: For both by-elections, how much was actually spent?

Zakaria: Normally, every ringgit would be spent. If (the budget) is not enough, we ask for more. If there’s extra, we keep it.

He told the court that it is a normal practice in Umno to not document election expenses.

The defence then closed its case.

Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan set September 11 to hear oral submissions by both parties.

Tengku Adnan was charged in his capacity as a public servant, namely the Federal Territories minister, with accepting for himself RM2 million from Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd (AKSB) director Chai Kin Kong via a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to the company that was deposited into the CIMB Bank account of Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, in which Tengku Adnan had an interest, when it was known that AKSB had connections with his official duties.

The offence was allegedly committed at CIMB’s Pusat Bandar Damansara branch on June 14, 2016.

Tengku Adnan was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to two years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

On October 14 last year, the high court ordered him to enter his defence after finding that the prosecution successfully established a prima facie case.

He chose to testify under oath from the witness stand when defence proceedings commenced on January 17, and completed giving his testimony on March 5. – Bernama, June 30, 2020.