THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has opened investigation papers against several people a witness named as receiving bribes from his company, in the corruption trial of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

In a brief statement, the agency said it had also received several reports about the people listed in a ledger given in evidence in the trial.

However, the agency did not name anyone and said investigation will be carried out in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.

However, former home minister Muhyiddin Yassin, former Sabah chief minister Mohd Shafie Apdal, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, former foreign minister Anifah Aman, and Housing and Local Government Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican were named by the witness during the trial.

The statement from MACC comes after yesterday, former Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) administrative manager David Tan gave evidence that the company gave RM1.3 million to Muhyiddin in 2018, when the latter succeeded Zahid as home minister.

UKSB was the firm appointed by the government in 2016 to handle the foreign visa system, or VLN, for Chinese tourists.

Tan, 47, revealed the information when shown the ledger during Zahid’s trial at Shah Alam High Court, but did not specify the sums supposedly paid to Shafie, Anifah and Reezal Merican.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin yesterday evening denied receiving money from UKSB, saying he was undergoing cancer treatment when the payments were supposed to have taken place.

“I have never received, directly or indirectly, any money from David Tan – the witness from UKSB – its directors, or shareholders,” he said.

“I was never questioned by the authorities about this and I am ready to be investigated by the MACC.

“It is hoped that the prosecution will clarify this, so as not to portray that I am corrupt when I am firmly against corruption,” the Pagoh MP said in a statement.

Zahid is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre (OSC) in China and the foreign visa system, as well as to maintain an agreement to supply foreign visa system equipment to the same company by the home ministry. – June 18, 2022.