Ku Nan: I don't need the RM2m, it was for Umno

Former Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor testified in court today that he did not need the RM2 million which he purportedly received as a kickback from the Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd company director Chai Kin Kong.

Instead, he said, that the RM2 million was given as a political contribution to Umno for the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar twin by-elections in 2016.

“Speaking humbly, I do not need the RM2 million for myself. I have never intended to accept those funds for myself.

“Before I joined the cabinet in 2001, I was a successful businessman and had huge assets,” Tengku Adnan said in his testimony for his charge of accepting RM2 million in bribes from Chai in 2016.

“I would like to stress that from the very beginning I have told Chai that the money is a political contribution to Umno to be spent on the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

“So I asked that the cheque be made out to Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, after which I used my own money as an advance for the campaign and spending for those two by-elections,” he told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Before this, the court had ordered him to enter into defence for his charges related to receiving the RM2 million from Chai.

Tengku Adnan was previously charged in his capacity as a public official for receiving RM2 million from Chai through a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd.

The cheque was allegedly deposited into a CIMB account belonging to Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, which Tengku Adnan has a stake in.

According to Tengku Adnan, it is normal for Umno to receive political contributions to be spent during campaigns and other spendings during a by-election.

“After the Election Commission made its announcement (on Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections) on May 13, 2016, as the Federal Territories Umno chairperson, I had to look for contributions for Federal Territories Umno to help the by-election campaigns.

“Among the people I asked for contributions from was Chai. He has been contributing to Umno/BN since I was appointed as Umno executive secretary in 1999,” he said in his 27-page testimony.

Tengku Adnan further explained that he was forced to use his own money as an advance in the by-elections at first after Chai said he needed time to prepare the RM2 million which he had promised.

“I don’t remember when I asked Chai for political contribution, but it happened in early June 2016. I told him the Federal Territories Umno/BN needed RM5 million for the by-elections.

“At that time, Chai agreed to contribute but he did not state the amount,” Tengku Adnan said.

He said Chai later told him he would contribute RM2 million, but he would need some time to come up with this amount.

“I said to him that I would pay the RM2 million in advance to Umno first since I believed Chai would fulfil his promise and I used my own money as an advance for Umno in the by-elections’ campaign,” he said.

He also said that political contributions are generally made in cash because the funds would need to be dispensed during a short campaign period.

“Chai’s political contribution, however, was paid through a HLIB cheque (cheque number 136822) dated June 14, 2016, into the account of Tadmansori Holdings.

The cheque was received before the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections, which was on June 18, 2016, said Tengku Adnan. 

"But the cheque was dated June 14, 2016, before the by-elections."

Among the purported advance payment Tengku Adnan made in the Sungai Besar by-election was a cash payment of RM1,013,200 to Rizalman Mansor, who was the machinery director for the Sungai Besar by-election for lodging, food and drinks, daily allowance, transport, campaign materials and so on.

Tengku Adnan also purportedly paid another RM1,007,600 in cash for the BN Youth Volunteer Project which involved more than 1,000 youths in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

The hearing, which was held before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, continues on Monday. - Mkini