I declared my share ownership to PMs I served under, Ku Nan tells court

Former minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor says the state Umno headquarters did not normally record political funds as it did not want this information to fall into the wrong hands.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor told his RM2 million corruption trial he had declared that he held shares in a few companies to the prime ministers he had served under.

He denied the prosecution’s suggestion that he had breached the code of ethics for members of the administration when he failed to disclose that he had controlling shares in private companies, including a family-owned company.

“I sold most of them (shares), including Mutiara Telekom so I could concentrate on his work (in the administration) and have zero debts,” he said, when re-examined by his lawyer, Tan Hock Chuan.

Tengku Adnan said the shares he sold in Mutiara Telekom, known as Digi.com Bhd now, would be worth about RM5 billion today.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim questioned him about his shares in Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, and pointed out that Tengku Adnan was the company’s majority shareholder.

To Tan’s questions as to why he had said there was no record of political donations in the Federal Territories Umno account, Tengku Adnan said the state party headquarters did not normally record political funds.

“We don’t want this information to fall into the wrong hands and we are careful about it,” he added.

The hearing continues from March 25 to 27 before High Court judge Mohamad Zaini Mazlan.

Tan informed the court they would be calling three witnesses when the trial resumes.

Tengku Adnan, commonly known as Ku Nan, is accused of receiving RM2 million from businessman Chai Kin Kong despite knowing that Chai’s companies had dealings with the federal territories ministry which was under him at the time.

In his defence, he said he did not benefit from Chai’s RM2 million paid to his company, Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, in 2016 as the money was a “political donation” for two by-elections. - FMT