KUALA LUMPUR: A witness told the High Court she knew of the existence of a stamp with a replica of former home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s signature.
It was under the custody of a former executive secretary to Zahid, Fadzlette Othman Merican added.
Fadzlette, a former press secretary to Zahid, said the stamp would be used to affix Zahid’s signature on certificates and invitation cards.
The second defence witness said she had on several occasions brought such documents to Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly (who was then the executive secretary) to be signed on Zahid’s instruction.
Zahid, who had completed giving evidence, had told the court that Mazlina had used the stamp on Yayasan Akalbudi cheques to settle his credit card and motor insurance policy payments without his consent.
The Bagan Datuk MP said he never authorised Mazlina to use the stamp or pre-signed cheques to make payments using Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
Mazlina, a key prosecution witness, had testified that Zahid had given her permission to use the stamp when he was out of his office, attending meetings or overseas.
Mazlina worked for Zahid when he was the home minister and deputy prime minister between 2013 and 2018.
The prosecution had relied on Mazlina’s evidence to establish a prima facie case against Zahid on 12 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges.
Fadzlette said she also knew of Mazlina’s negligence when carrying out her duties, especially in handling Zahid’s personal financial matters.
“I knew about it as Zahid instructed me to monitor Mazlina,” she said in her witness statement.
Fadzlette said she had informed Mazlina about Zahid’s concern that she (Mazlina) never produced credit card statements and cheques that were prepared for him to sign.
Fadzlette, who is now the media director to the Umno president (Zahid), said she also found Mazlina to be disobedient and that she had refused to attend the weekly meetings.
“While in the home ministry, she never showed respect to me although I was more senior in army rank,” she said.
Fadzlette was a major-general while Mazlina was a major and both had been seconded to work for Zahid.
Zahid was defence minister between 2009 and 2013.
Cross-examined by deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran, Fadzlette disagreed that Mazlina’s job scope as executive secretary had nothing to do with the army.
She conceded that she (Fadzlette) did not know exactly what Mazlina did in the home ministry.
Fadzlette said she was also unsure if Zahid had ordered Mazlina to handle his personal financial matters.
“I also do not know if Zahid gave permission to Mazlina to use the stamp on cheques,” she said when grilled by Raja Rozela.
Fadzlette agreed with Raja Rozela that as press secretary, it was beyond her scope of duty to ask Mazlina about the handling of Zahid’s credit card payments and cheques.
Raja Rozela: Do you agree that, Mazlina’s failure to attend meetings does not prevent her (Mazlina) from effectively carrying out her work as Zahid’s executive secretary?
Fadzlette: Disagree.
Raja Rozela: Do you agree that Mazlina performed her duties as instructed by Zahid?
Fadzlette: Disagree.
Raja Rozela: I put it to you that Mazlina also did not commit insubordination?
Fadzlette: I disagree.
The witness said Mazlina committed insubordination more than 10 times and that she only informed Zahid’s private secretary, who was her (Mazlina’s) immediate superior, about this.
Zahid is standing trial on charges of money laundering and CBT involving millions from Yayasan Akalbudi and for accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister.
Twenty-seven charges are for money laundering and another eight are for corruption.
The hearing before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.