A former director of Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) today told the Shah Alam High Court that his company paid cash monthly to former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The payments were from 2014 to 2018, said Harry Lee Vui Khun, and were in relation to the Foreign Visa System (VLN) contract.
He clarified that the payments to Zahid (above) started in late 2014 at SG$200,000 per month and increased to SG$520,000 per month in 2017.
“If I can recall correctly, the payment of SG$200,000 per month began in late 2014 and continued until mid-2015.
“Around that time, we went to his (Zahid’s) house in Country Heights, Kajang and in that meeting, Zahid requested that the monthly contribution be increased.
“After discussing with Wan Quoris and David Tan, we agreed to a sum of SG$300,000 per month.
“Later in 2017, Zahid requested to see us in his private residence. In that meeting also, he requested that the monthly payment be increased due to the upcoming general election.
“After discussing with Wan Quoris and David Tan, we agreed to increase the amount from SG$300,000 to SG$520,000 per month,” he said.
Lee was reading his witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob at the trial of Zahid who is facing 40 corruption charges.
The 15th prosecution witness added that they came up with that figure because Zahid mentioned Umno divisions needed financial support.
“In our discussion, we agreed to a sum of about RM10,000 per division for the 100-odd Umno divisions and after conversion, the total sum came up to SG$520,000 per month,” Lee said.
The third prosecution witness, former Home Ministry Immigration Affairs Division deputy secretary Siti Jalilah Abd Manap previously told the court that Zahid extended the UKSB contract for the VLN project even though the existing contract was valid for three more years.
Cash delivery
Meanwhile, Lee was asked a supplementary question by DPP Raja Rozela Raja Toran if he could recall how many times he delivered the cash between 2014 and 2018.
Lee replied, “70 percent of the process was done by me… 40 times in four years.”
Raja Rozela: Can you recall, who did you go with to deliver the money at Country Heights, Kajang (Zahid’s house)?
Lee: With Wan Quoris and David Tan.
Raja Rozela: In your statement, you said that the money was handed over by you alone, but you went together (with Wan Quoris and David Tan). Why?
Lee: I’m not sure, but from day one it had been set that way and I just followed.
He added that in the 40 times he delivered the money, Zahid never returned them.
Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to SG$13.56 million from UKSB for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the OSC service in China as well as to maintain the contract to supply the VLN integrated system.
For another seven counts, he was charged with obtaining for himself SG$1,150,000, RM3 million, €15,000, and US$15,000 from the same company.
He was charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya and Country Heights, Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.
The trial before Judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues later today.
- Bernama
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