THE Kuala Lumpur High Court was told today that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had allowed his signature stamp to be used on Yayasan Akalbudi cheques to pay for his credit card bills.

Zahid’s former executive secretary Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly said she started using the stamp on the foundation’s cheques in 2014 upon receiving permission from the former deputy prime minister.

“It is due to Zahid’s busy schedule. I often received the credit card statements after the due date and was afraid the late payment would result in the cards being barred, inconveniencing them, especially when they were abroad.

“Therefore I asked for Zahid’s permission to use the stamp. He agreed and said okay. I did not use his personal cheques as there was no directive from him for me to do so,” she said.

The 90th prosecution witness said this when reading her witness statement at Zahid’s trial on charges of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money-laundering involving millions of ringgit in funds from the foundation.

Mazlina said she had never used the stamp for her personal interests.

“The last time I used the Yayasan Akalbudi cheques to pay the credit card bills was in 2016.

“As far as I can remember, Zahid had instructed me not to use the cheques to pay for his credit card bills because the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had begun an investigation into the matter. I did not ask further. I was asked to pay the credit card in cash,” she added.

Previously, Siti Nur Musliha Mohamad Noor, a chemist from the Chemistry Department had told the court that 16 cheques belonging to the foundation, issued to make several payments, including for Zahid’s personal use had the signature of the accused.

Mazlina, 42, also said the Umno president had also allowed her to use the foundation’s cheques for other purposes such as paying his vehicles insurance and road tax.

“Each time I wanted to get his signature on the cheques, I would bring along the credit card statements for his reference,” she said, Zahid would check and ensure that everything was in order before signing.

Mazlina said Zahid would affix his signature using his own black-inked pen.

“All the cheques I prepared to pay for the credit card bills were not pre-signed by Zahid,” she said.

She said Zahid had also directed her to prepare cheques for TS Consultancy & Resources, PDRM Football Association and Armada Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Zahid, 67, is facing 47 charges, with 12 of them involving criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money-laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit in funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran leads the prosecution team while Zahid is represented by Hisyam Teh Poh Teik.

The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues. – Bernama, August 25, 2020.