A WITNESS in Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial today claimed that his company paid RM2.6 million to Dr Mahathir Mohamad through his nephew after the 14th general election (GE14) for political funding purposes.

Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun told the High Court that Dr Mahathir, who became the prime minister after GE14, that the amount was passed to Dr Mahathir’s nephew, Rahmat Abu Bakar.

UKSB is a local company that has been implicated in the foreign visa system contract awards. It was appointed by the government in 2016.

The company is implicated in the case against Zahid, the former deputy prime minister and home minister, who is facing 33 corruption charges.

Tan, during a cross-examination by Zahid’s lawyer, Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, said the money was given to Rahmat after Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the election.

Previously, on June 17, Tan testified that Muhyiddin Yassin, the home minister under the PH administration, had received RM1.3 million from UKSB.

Today, he elaborated that the money was passed to SHH Resources Bhd director Teo Wee Cheng, who was Muhyiddin’s close friend.

“The money was also given as a political donation to assist Muhyiddin,” he said, as reported by FreeMalaysiaToday.

He also said Zahid received political funds from UKSB.

Tan, the 17th prosecution witness, had testified earlier that payments were made to ministers, politicians and government servants.

He said he had kept a ledger of payments made between 2014 and 2018 in spreadsheet files in his laptop.

Among the others he has named as being financial recipients are former Sabah chief minister Mohd Shafie Apdal, former foreign minister Anifah Aman and former deputy foreign minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

Other witnesses previously testified that the company made millions in cash payments, in Singapore dollars, to Zahid from 2014 to 2018 over the foreign visa system contract.

Hearing before judge Yazid Mustafa continues. – July 25, 2022.