SHAH ALAM: The High Court was told today that Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) sent letters relating to contract extension directly to former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to speed up the process.
UKSB director Datuk Fadzil Ahmad said if the letters were handed to subordinates, the company worried that the contract extension process would take a long time.
"The contract extension process needed to be presented at ministry level, but the decision is made by the minister (Ahmad Zahid), that's why we at UKSB acted to send the letter to the minister.
"We use a top down approach so that the process will be implemented immediately," he said in response to an additional question during the main examination by deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong.
On why UKSB needed to send the letter to Ahmad Zahid, who was Home Minister at that time, Fadzil replied, "Approval to extend the contract was under the purview of the minister."
Yesterday, while reading his witness statement, the 41st prosecution witness told the court that the company sent seven letters to Ahmad Zahid between 2016 and 2017 regarding the Foreign Visa System (VLN) to secure support, conditional application and approval.
Fadzil also informed the court today that another UKSB director, Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, was the individual responsible for handing the company's letters to Ahmad Zahid.
"Wan Quoris Shah scope of assignments included ensuring the UKSB letters were sent to then-Home Minister Ahmad Zahid.
"I prepared (the letters), then I would hand them to Wan Quoris Shah to be passed to the Home Minister's office, but I'm not sure if he handed it directly or not," he said.
The 10th prosecution witness, former secretary of the Immigration Affairs Division, Home Ministry , Datuk Shahril Ismail had previously told the court that Wan Quoris Shah met with Ahmad Zahid at the UMNO president's residence in Seri Satria, Putrajaya before a decision to extend the contract was made.
Fadzil said the company sent a letter dated June 14, 2017 to Ahmad Zahid to change the contract extension application from six years to three years to avoid going through the Public-Private Partnership Unit (UKAS).
"The change of extension application was made after realising that a six-year period would require approval from UKAS that would take a long time. So we made the decision to shorten the extension period and not to be subjected to UKAS approval," he explained.
Ahmad Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil (RM42mil) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the One-Stop Centre (OSC) in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the Home Ministry.
For another seven counts, Ahmad Zahid was charged as home minister to have obtained for himself SG$1,150,000, RM3mil, EURO15,000 and US$15,000 in cash from the same company in connection with his official work.
He is alleged to have committed all the acts at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya and in Country Heights, Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.
The trial before Judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa will resume on May 17.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu May 12 2022
The High Court was told today that Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) sent letters relating to contract extension directly to former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to speed up the process. - BERNAMA
ANALYSIS - What could happen if Trump rejects the US election results
If Trump seems to be losing, the delay could let him claim fraud and undermine confidence in election officials.
Motorcycling - Marquez wins Australian MotoGP after intense battle with Martin
The 31-year-old, third in the championship standings, has now won the Australian MotoGP four times in the premier class.
Prabowo takes up Indonesian presidency, vows to tackle corruption, other issues
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto on Sunday took over as president of the world's third-largest democracy, vowing to combat internal issues
Nepal's Sherpas deserve more, says teenager who scaled world's 14 tallest peaks
Sherpas are known for climbing skills that make them the backbone of mountain expeditions.
Inside the underground lab in China tasked with solving a physics mystery
China will soon collect neutrino data, aiming to unravel one of particle physics' biggest mysteries.
Millions in Cuba still without power as major outage persists
Millions of Cubans remain without electricity because of a prolonged outage at the main power plants on the island, Anadolu Agency reported.
Surge in Gaza violence increases famine risk, monitor says
About 1.84 million people across the besieged Palestinian enclave are living through high levels of acute food insecurity.
Israel pounds Beirut and Gaza after rockets hit Israel's north
A drone was launched at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home.
Elon Musk promises to award $1 mil each day to a signer of his petition
He awarded a $1 million check to an attendee of his event in Pennsylvania aimed at rallying supporters behind Donald Trump.
Former special forces commander Prabowo to take up Indonesian presidency
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto will take over as president of the world's third-largest democracy after sweeping the country's election with policies like free meals for school children
Father of Malaysian Islamic banking, Abdul Halim Ismail passes away
His dedication and pioneering spirit played an important role in shaping the journey of Bank Islam as well as leaving a lasting impact on the development of Malaysia's Islamic finance industry.
Zayn Malik postpones US tour dates after One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's death
Payne, 31, died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band.
Why voters in a handful of swing states will decide the US presidential election
The contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters a tiny fraction of the populace in a handful of states.
INSIGHT - Sudan's war risks 'lost generation' of children
A devastating crisis is unfolding in Sudan, where the most vulnerable members of society children are bearing the brunt of the violence.
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Trump says he would impose tariffs on China if China went into Taiwan
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would impose additional tariffs on China if China were to "go into Taiwan,"
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.