Ahmad Zahid often gave donations, alms using own money - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR: Two senior officers who used to work have served with Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the High Court today that the former deputy prime minister often gave donations and alms using his own money and funds from Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB).

One of them, Datuk Mohd Kamal Abdullah, 65, who was Ahmad Zahid's special officer, said Ahmad Zahid mostly contributed to the construction of mosques, suraus and tahfiz centres, as well as donations for the poor, orphans and single mothers.

"During the early stage of the establishment of YAB, Ahmad Zahid himself would deposit his own money into the foundation as donations for the needy.

"His contributions and donations were not only focused in the Bagan Datuk and Melaka areas but throughout the country and outside Malaysia. The donations were from his own money or through YAB," he said.

Mohd Kamal, who is the sixth defense witness, said this when reading out his witness statement at the defence trial of .Ahmad Zahid, 69, who is faced with 47 charges, namely 12 for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight charges of corruption and 27 charges of money laundering, involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB

Mohd Kamal said YAB contributed, among others, to the development of Imtiaz Ulul Al-Bab Secondary School in Melaka, as well as RM10 million for the construction of the Salmah Khamis Mosque and the Tuminah Hamidi Mosque in Bagan Datuk, which is still under construction and expected to be completed this month (November).

On the Al-Falah Foundation, Ahmad Kamal told the court that he was informed by Ahmad Zahid that it was established to manage his late father's estate for charity.

"The construction of Tuminah Hamidi Mosque is fully sponsored by Yayasan Akalbudi and Yayasan Al-Falah as developers. I know that the date for completion of the project has been delayed due to the freezing of the Akalbudi Foundation's account by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)," he said.

Earlier, Ahmad Zahid's former Senior Private Secretary, Dr Sabri Zainudin Zainul, 61, said during his time working with Ahmad Zahid, many individuals who were at the Deputy Prime Minister's office to meet him (Ahmad Zahid) were to get financial assistance to continue their studies.

"Normally Datuk Seri Zahid agreed to help and provide cash. There was an occasion when he did not have cash, he called me and asked to give my money first," he added.

The fifth defence witness said Ahmad Zahid also made personal contributions to help cover expenses incurred by the Home Ministry for its Family Day.

At one juncture, during cross-examination by the prosecution, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran chided the witness for not giving accurate answers to her questions.

"Do not turn this court into a coffee shop and do not make up stories," she said.

Raja Rozela had asked Sabri Zainudin whether he was involved when Ahmad Zahid instructed his then executive-secretary Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly to use YAB's cheque to pay his (Ahmad Zahid) credit card.

When Sabri Zainudin did not answer the question accurately, despite being asked repeatedly by Raja Rozela, Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah then suggested the prosecution to rephrase the questions.

The hearing continues tomorrow

-- BERNAMA