Zahid's corruption trial goes on while AGC studies his representation

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption and criminal breach of trust trial involving charity Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds continued today, even as the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) continues to study his representation to the attorney-general.

Before the trial started today, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar informed the High Court of the status of Zahid’s representation to the AGC regarding this case, saying that a team under a special task force is still going through his representation.

“And the matter is still pending, My Lord, so there’s no outcome thus far regarding the process of the representation regarding issues raised by the defence in the representation, My Lord,” he said.

While both the prosecution and Zahid’s team have not publicly specified the content of the representation, accused persons can typically send in representation letters to the attorney-general for purposes such as to seek the dropping of charges or to ask for alternative charges with lower penalties.

Hearing for the deputy prime minister’s trial was previously postponed from April 10 to today, due to the representation letters sent in by Zahid and due to the prosecution needing more time to look through the documents in the representation.

The trial was also postponed on April 10 as the prosecution said it would wait for the outcome of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) further investigation of Zahid’s case before deciding on the representation.

At that time, the prosecution said the MACC has yet to reply on what further investigations they are doing and how long it would take to investigate.

Zahid had in January sent a representation letter to Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, and had in early February sent a second representation letter to Idrus that was over 200 pages long with what his lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh described as containing “new facts and new evidence” on his charges.

Zahid’s second representation letter had attached a February 20 letter directly to the AG from MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki who said that the anti-graft body is “conducting further investigations” on Zahid’s case.

Zahid, who is also Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman, is facing 47 charges.

The 47 charges are namely, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust in relation to over RM31 million of charitable foundation Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds, 27 counts of money laundering, and eight counts of bribery charges of over RM21.25 million in alleged bribes.

Yayasan Akalbudi was founded with the purported objectives of receiving and administering funds for the eradication of poverty and enhancing the welfare of the poor.

Defence witness Datuk Mohd Kamal Abdullah (right) and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (centre) arrive at the Kuala Lumpur High court for the Yayasan AKalbudi trial August 1, 2023. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

Zahid retained secretary despite mistakes

Testifying today, the sixth defence witness Datuk Mohd Kamal Abdullah — who is Zahid’s special officer since 1994 — described Zahid’s former executive secretary Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly as having made errors when arranging the daily schedule for Zahid in the past.

Mazlina was Zahid’s executive secretary for around seven years from December 9, 2011 to May 2018, when the latter held the ministerial portfolios for defence, home affairs and as deputy prime minister.

Mohd Kamal told the court Mazlina’s purported mistakes were related to him by Zahid previously.

The mistakes were said to have been committed on several occasions, such as when Mazlina used a stamp of Zahid’s signature for Yayasan Akalbudi’s cheques to pay for his personal credit card bills.

The defence witness also told the court that Mazlina had previously admitted on occasion to making mistakes with the cheques for Zahid.

Asked by Dusuki on what Zahid had done regarding this, Mohd Kamal said Zahid had advised Mazlina many times to be careful with her work and had also asked him to advise her.

In his previous court testimony, Mohd Kamal said he had advised Zahid to consider appointing a more qualified individual as executive secretary as Mazlina did not have the related qualifications.

Today, he affirmed that Zahid ultimately did not appoint other officers as his executive secretary and kept Mazlina in that role despite her alleged mistakes and carelessness, and appointed law firm Lewis & Co to take over the task of managing Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds.

Under questioning, Mohd Kamal disagreed that Mazlina’s continued role as executive secretary meant that he had fabricated her alleged carelessness.

He also told the court that Zahid was a thorough person, but chose to reprimand Mazlina instead of sacking her.

Asked by Dusuki, Mohd Kamal also said that Zahid had only known of Mazlina’s alleged use of the signature stamp on Yayasan Akalbudi cheques much later to pay for his and his wife’s credit card bills.

He added that Zahid would have taken action if he knew at that time.

Mohd Kamal had previously testified that the stamp containing Zahid’s signature was only meant for festive cards and certificates of appreciation.

Throughout the trial, Zahid’s lawyers have sought to pin the blame on Mazlina, while the prosecution had previously argued against turning Mazlina into a scapegoat and argued that Zahid should be held responsible.

As for Yayasan Akalbudi, Mohd Kamal insisted that Zahid had in the initial stages put in his personal money into the foundation for charitable works to be carried out such as those relating to mosques and education, but said he does not know the amount that Zahid had allegedly personally donated.

“I did not see, but I know lah, I say, I myself, in this court, I went to study with contribution from Yayasan,” the 66-year-old Mohd Kamal testified.

Mohd Kamal later confirmed to Zahid’s lawyer Hamidi that he meant his studies at the University of Hull in the UK for a postgraduate diploma in business administration, which he obtained in 1997.

Mohd Kamal completed his testimony this morning.

Another defence witness is expected to be called to testify after the court takes a recess for lunch.

Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran, who has been leading the prosecution of this case since the trial began, was not present in the courtroom today.

Zahid’s trial before Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah resumes this afternoon.

The hearing dates previously scheduled for this trial are August 1 to 3, August 7 to 10, August 21 to 24, September 4 to 8, October 30 to 31, November 13 to 17, November 20 to 24, and December 11 to 15.