Zahid trial: Businessperson felt special that DPM wanted RM10m donation

 

Singaporean businessperson Wong Sang Woo @ Wong Shuh Chain said he felt "special" to be asked by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for an RM10 million donation.

This was because Zahid had been the deputy prime minister of Malaysia at the time when the donation was made.

Wong ended up having to borrow the large sum because he did not have enough funds for the donation.

This is according to Christ Sheldon Merun, the MACC officer who recorded Wong's statement back in Feb 2019.

Sheldon was the 98th witness in Zahid's breach of trust, corruption and money laundering trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Donations over dinner

The officer told the court how Wong - also known as Paul - had agreed over a 2015 dinner with Zahid to make the donation to the latter's Yayasan Akalbudi foundation.

Wong had asked for some time to gather the donation when the then home minister asked for the RM10 million at the end of the dinner.

Wong was then contacted by "Zahid's people" about the donation in 2016.

During the call, the individual had explained the work Yayasan Akalbudi did and asked Wong to post the RM10 million through 10 separate RM1 million cheques to law firm Messrs Lewis & Co.

Sheldon said Wong had not been in direct contact with Zahid since their dinner in 2015.

By 2016, Zahid had become the deputy prime minister.

"He (Wong) made the contribution through (his company) Chia Bee Enterprise Sdn Bhd on the grounds he was donating to a charity set up by the deputy prime minister of Malaysia.

"He (Wong) felt it was special that the deputy prime minister asked for donations," said Sheldon as he read from Wong's witness statement.

Unrecorded RM10million loan

According to Sheldon, Wong borrowed RM10 million from KTS Holdings Sdn Bhd through his friend Ngu Ngiong Hien. The loan was not recorded or documented "on the basis of friendship and trust".

In August 2020, a Chia Bee director - Wong Hee Sing - told the court he was appointed by his boss Wong to be a nominee director at KTS.

Hee Sing previously told the court that KTS used to own Chia Bee before Prime Lumber Holdings Limited bought over KTS' shares.

Sheldon said Prime Lumber's two shareholders were Wong and another Singaporean national. The latter was only a nominee shareholder.

"Wong had the power to control Chia Bee because the other shareholder in Prime Lumber was only a nominee shareholder.

"Wong had the full power over Prime Lumber, which owns Chia Bee. He was appointed as a director at Chia Bee on Sept 1, 2018," the officer told the court.

"Wong was a shareholder, and Prime Lumber was an investment company. Prime Lumber was the only shareholder in Chia Bee [...]

"The reason for the loan from KTS is because Prime Lumber did not have enough funds in its account," Sheldon explained.

Since taking over Chia Bee, Wong admitted to the MACC that the firm did not conduct any business operations. However, Chia Bee's income statements were audited as usual on the basis that the firm was not operational during the financial year.

Wong posted the RM10 million donation on April 21, 2016.

Missing witness

The 10 cheques from Chia Bee were among the cheques cashed into the Lewis & Co's customer account. They were later put into fixed deposits by Lewis & Co on Zahid's instructions.

Yesterday, MACC officer Mohd Amirudin Nordin told the court that Wong was missing.

The 96th witness, who is responsible for investigating Zahid's money laundering case, said the witness was thus unable to testify in court.

"This witness could not be traced for his court hearing. Several efforts were made, including tracking him down at his office in Sarawak.

"I also obtained the entry record of the witness from the Immigration Department and found that he is not in the country," Amirudin said.

Zahid is facing 47 charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds - 12 for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering.

For the Umno president's money laundering charges, he is accused of having received tens of millions of ringgit in cheques from various parties through Lewis & Co, a large portion of which were placed in fixed deposits under the law firm's name.

The trial entered its 51st day today and will resume on March 18 before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah. - Mkini