Witness: Zahid didn’t promise MYEG project, but his brother did

The owner of Berani & Jujur Trading, Junaith Asharab Md Shariff, told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had never promised to award a MYEG project to his company.

Instead, the 36th witness at the Yayasan Akalbudi corruption, money laundering, and criminal breach of trust trial said the MYEG project was promised by Zahid’s (photo) younger brother Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi.

He said this during cross-examination by the defence counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh.

Hamidi: Do you agree with me that these projects were not promised by Zahid, but by Nasaee?

Junaith: Agree.

Hamidi was referring to Janaith’s witness statement, which said Zahid had promised to award him a MYEG project worth approximately RM50 million to register foreign workers after he handed a cheque to Zahid.

“I was asked by Zahid to send the proposal for the promised MYEG project after the 14th general election.

“However, the project proposal was not prepared and sent to Zahid in time, since he was no longer the home minister,” the statement read.

Junaith also agreed with Hamidi that his written statement was inaccurate.

The matter was raised again by another defence counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal during cross-examination, referring to Junaith’s answer to Hamidi’s question.

Zaidi: My question is, do you or do you not stand by your earlier answer (that Zahid never promised to award the MYEG contract).

Junaith: I hope to get the contract.

Zaidi: Hope is a different matter. Is it true that Zahid never promised any MYEG project?

Junaith: I usually discuss with Nasaee. He (Zahid) never said it directly to me.

Zaidi: That’s what I want to know. The person in the dock now is Zahid. My question is, did Zahid ever promise to give (the project) to Mr Junaith?

Junaith: No.

In his 13th charge, Zahid was accused of receiving bribes comprising ten cheques totalling RM5 million from Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services through Junaith.

He was also accused of receiving bribes from Mastoro Kenny comprising one cheque for RM250,000 owned by Jogabonito Jewellery & Diamonds via Junaith (11th charge), and bribes from Mastoro Kenny comprising 13 cheques totalling RM8 million from the company, also through Junaith (12th charge).

Zahid was accused of conducting all three offences as inducement for a proposed transaction, which is to help Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services to obtain MYEG projects handled by the Home Ministry.

In his witness statement, Junaith said that during a meeting in 2016, Zahid had asked for a cash contribution “to build mosques and tahfiz schools”, so he pledged to contribute RM10 million as soon as possible.

When Hamidi asked about the meeting, Junaith agreed that the RM10 million proposal was his own idea, and since it was no small amount, he also agreed with Hamidi that he had come from a wealthy family.

Hamidi also asked Junaith whether he agreed that the RM10 million contribution is important not because of the sum, but because it is a good deed.

“It is for the afterlife,” Junaith curtly replied.

Later during re-examination, prosecutors questioned Junaith’s credibility and sought to declare him a hostile witness for contradicting himself.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the prosecution’s application.

This would allow prosecutors to cross-examine the witness. For the record, during the prosecution’s case, only the defendant’s lawyers are normally allowed to cross-examine witnesses.

When deputy public prosecutor Gan Peng Kun asked him to explain the contradiction, Junaith said he may have been confused while giving a statement to the MACC.

Later when questioned by DPP Lee Keng Fatt, Junaith admitted he was close to Nasaee and Zahid, but disagreed with Lee’s suggestion that he was willing to do “anything” to help them.

During re-examination by Zaidi, Junaith admitted he was “pressured” during the 12 hours he spent at MACC’s headquarters, which entailed six hours of questioning from 10am until 4.30pm, and then his statement being recorded until 10pm.

Zaidi: At 10pm, after 12 hours at MACC, you’d sign anything just to go home, do you agree?

Junaith: Yes, agreed.

Zaidi: Do you agree if I say Zahid never promised you any project?

Junaith: Zahid never promised me. - Mkini