Ku Nan trial: MACC officer fails to find record of RM2m donation

The MACC officer who seized Umno's official receipt book told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he found no record of an alleged RM2 million donation made in 2016.

Testifying in the corruption trial of former minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Nik Muhammad Faiez Idrus said he seized the receipt book from Umno's headquarters at the Putra World Trade Centre on July 18.

On the previous day, Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd managing director Chai Kin Kong had shown the court an original receipt he claimed to have received from Tengku Adnan for an RM2 million cheque.

Under examination by deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim today, Nik Muhammad Faiez said that no copy of said receipt was found in Umno's official receipt book. 

Julia: Did you find the carbon copy for the receipt which was tendered as evidence before this?

Nik Muhammad Faiez: There was no carbon copy for that receipt.

The book was then tendered as evidence.

Chai had previously testified that the money had been for Umno's campaigns in the 2016 Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections and that the receipt for his cheque bore Tengku Adnan’s signature.

Tengku Adnan is on trial for accepting RM2 million from Chai on Jun 14, 2016 in his capacity as a public servant.

The money was allegedly deposited into the CIMB Account of Tadmansori Holdings, of which Tengku Adnan is the principal shareholder.

Chai’s Aset Kayamas deals primarily in property development and does business with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, which Tengku Adnan oversaw as the then-Federal Territories minister.

If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both. 

Ample time

Judge Mohd Zaini Mazlan had allowed Faiez (photo) to be called up as a witness after considering an application by lead defence counsel Tan Hock Guan for the chief and cross-examinations to be delayed.

Tan said his team needed to thoroughly examine Umno's official receipt book – which was new evidence – before they could proceed.

Julia, meanwhile, contended that there was no need to delay the chief examination, as the defence would be able to study the book after it is tendered, in time for the next hearing date.

She added that the prosecution had not anticipated the new evidence presented by Chai, and that it is legal to tender documents during the course of a trial.

Zaini then ruled that the chief examination could be conducted today.

“In view that the case is scheduled for continuation on Aug 1 and Aug 2, the defence will be afforded ample time to consider the document after it has been tendered and this will allow it to prepare for the cross-examination.

“The fact that the document will be in the safe custody of the court means it is more convenient (for the defence),” he said. -Mkini