Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had instructed Felda to purchase the Merdeka Palace Hotel in Kuching, Sarawak, after a similar proposal from Gegasan Abadi Sdn Bhd was rejected by Felda Investment Corporation (FIC)'s board, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur heard today.
Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, 53, who served as an assistant to former Felda chairperson Mohd Isa Samad (below) from 2011 to 2016, said this was based on a phone conversation said to be between Isa and Najib.
"In March 2014, I went to Parliament to accompany Tan Sri Isa (as then Jempol MP).
"While at the lobby, Tan Sri Isa received a phone call...," said Zahid who recalled excerpts from the conversation that he overheard.
"Among others, he (Isa) said: 'It's true the (FIC) board had rejected...(but) if you ask, I will do...no problem, whatever you say, I will do.'
"That's roughly the gist of the conversation I heard came out of Tan Sri Isa's mouth," he said.
Zahid is the 21st witness in Isa's ongoing corruption and abuse of power trial, linked to FIC's purchase of Merdeka Palace hotel in 2014.
At the end of the phone call, Zahid, who is now the political secretary to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said Isa then confirmed what he had overheard - that Najib had instructed Felda to reconsider its decision.
"Tan Sri Isa then turned towards me and said: 'Yid, PM asked to reopen, need to purchase the Sarawak hotel, so we need to call Zaid Jalil.'
"I was shocked and I responded to Tan Sri Isa: 'Oh, is it true PM asked to reopen?'," said Zahid, adding that he understood the PM referred to by Isa as being Najib.
FIC eventually paid RM160 million for the property or RM7 million more than its market price.
FIC's former chief executive officer Mohd Zaid Abdul Jalil previously testified that FIC had reconsidered its decision against purchase of the hotel, after informed by Isa to do, following instructions from Najib as then prime minister.
Isa is charged with having allegedly received RM3 million from a Gegasan Abadi former director, as bribe in FIC's purchase of the hotel.
Here, take some
Meanwhile, Zahid also revealed that he had on several occasions received between RM10,000 and RM50,000 from Isa after he had handed over money received from the Gegasan Abadi former director.
"Two or three times after I handed over the money from Hj Ikhwan (Gegasan Abadi former director) to Tan Sri Isa, he called me asked me to come to his room.
"He (Isa) said to me, 'Here, take some!'. Tan Sri Isa gave me RM10,000, RM20,000 and there were times he gave RM50,000...although I never asked for any (money) from him," said Zahid.
The trial is now on its 14th day is held before Justice Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. - Star
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.