AHMAD Zahid Hamidi told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that a RM13 million contribution given by a businessman to Yayasan Akalbudi was not a bribe, but to build a mosque and tahfiz school in Bagan Datuk, Perak.

Zahid, 69, said he had never promised any MyEG projects to the businessman, textile wholesaler Junaith Asharab Md Shariff, as an inducement for the contribution because MyEG did not come under the Home Ministry but was under the Finance Ministry.

The former deputy prime minister said the contribution, made in 23 cheques from Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, was deposited into the client account of Lewis & Co, a fact Junaith confirmed when he testified as the 36th prosecution witness.

“The prosecution never submitted any evidence in court to show there was any proposal or proof suggesting I promised these projects to Junaith.

“In fact, Junaith’s testimony itself clearly showed that these cheques were his contribution for the construction of a mosque and tahfiz school in Bagan Datuk,” he added.

He said this when reading out his witness statement in his defence against 47 charges – 12 on criminal breach of trust, eight on corruption and 27 on money-laundering – involving millions of ringgit of foundation funds.

The Bagan Datuk lawmaker said Junaith had earlier testified in court, saying, “I am from a well-known family. My in-law family is wealthy (sic) rich.”

“I also learnt that Junaith is an Indian Muslim from a very rich family and his financial means exceed those of ordinary people. I was also given to understand he had a facility in ringgit to be donated to any party he desired.

“I was also told that Junaith also contributed to the construction of a mosque in India where the writings of 30 juzuk (parts) of the Quran in the mosque were made of gold and the word Bismillah at the start of each surah (chapter) was made of diamond,” he said.

Apart from this, Zahid also denied receiving a RM250,000 bribe from Junaith, saying the money was a loan given to his younger brother Nasaee.

“Based on Junaith’s testimony at the prosecution stage, the cheque was a loan given to my younger brother (Nasaee). I had nothing to do with the cheque, and I had no knowledge this cheque was a loan to my brother,” said Zahid, who first knew Junaith in 2016 through Nasaee.

On the corruption charges, Zahid is accused of eight counts of receiving bribes from three companies, namely Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, Data Sonic Group Berhad and Profound Radiance Sdn Bhd, as an inducement for him as the then home minister to help these companies obtain MyEG projects, supply passport chips and be appointed to handle the one-stop migrant visa centre, in Pakistan and Nepal respectively.

He is alleged to have committed the offences at the Dataran Maybank branch of Maybank on Jalan Maarof, Bangsar between July 15, 2016 and March 15, 2018.

He was charged under section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.

The hearing before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow. – Bernama, May 25, 2022.