KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 22): Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the High Court that a RM6 million political donation from Datasonic Group Bhd's former deputy managing director Chew Ben Ben was never used for Zahid's own political purposes and was used for charity instead, and that the money was not for awarding a contract.
Zahid, who was continuing his time on the witness stand in his corruption trial where he is facing 27 counts of money laundering, another eight graft charges, and 12 counts of criminal breach of trust concerning RM31 million of Yayasan Akalbudi funds, testified in his own defence on Monday (Aug 22) that he did not use that money personally, as the money was deposited into law firm Lewis & Co’s account.
Lewis & Co was a trustee for Zahid’s charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.
Zahid, who was under cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Malik Ayub, said that he could have chosen to use that money, in the form of two cheques, for his own political purposes but instead used it for charity.
When asked about the cheques he received and whether he had given them to his Umno and Barisan Nasional parties as the cheques were for political purposes, Zahid said political donation cheques need not be given to the parties directly because they have their own constituencies to handle.
“There are donations given to any politicians to be used in their constituencies, or party divisions for political activities for the whole country or specific areas where they feel is necessary.
“If given to any politician, he (the politician) has the discretion to deposit it into his private accounts or any account he sees fit.
“Yang Arif, in this case, I did not do that. I did not use the money for my personal benefit. I never deposited the money into my personal accounts,” Zahid said.
The “donation” from passport chip supplier Datasonic was alleged by the prosecution to be a bribe to Zahid for a contract for passport chips by Datasonic.
Malik then asked Zahid if the RM6 million from Datasonic was for approving a contract. Zahid said he disagreed before Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.