A member of the Yayasan Al-Falah board of trustees told the High Court today that he was ‘shocked’ over the statement by Messrs Lewis Co partner B. Muralidharan that the law firm was the trustee of the foundation.

Faisalludin Mohamat Yusuff, 43, said the statement made by Muralidharan while testifying in court, which he had come across on social media, was not true.

“We (Yayasan Al-Falah) had never appointed Lewis Co or Muralidharan as lawyer or trustee,” he said when cross-examined by lawyer Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, who was representing Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, on the 37th day of the former deputy prime minister’s corruption trial.

The 66th prosecution witness was recalled to testify in the trial following amendments on 14 charges against Ahmad Zahid.

On Aug 10, Ahmad Zahid pleaded not guilty to 12 amended charges of criminal breach of trust and two amended charges of corruption involving funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

Faisalludin, who is also a lawyer, said Ahmad Zahid’s brother, Datuk Seri Mohamad Nasaee, had been appointed as the chairman of the foundation and member of the board of trustees, while he and Mohd Farid Abdullah were members of the board.

When asked by Ahmad Zaidi on whether any board of trustees member had appointed Muralidharan from Lewis Co as trustee of the foundation at any time, Faisalludin answered: “Never.”

To another question on whether Muralidharan and Lewis Co had managed Yayasan Al-Falah, the witness said: “Never. I met Muralidharan for the first time in the court’s witness room just now.”

Faisalludin agreed with Ahmad Zaidi that he and the other two members of the board of trustees never gave any instruction to Muralidharan to issue any cheque to be deposited into Lewis Co’s client fixed deposit account.

Ahmad Zaidi: Have you or the other two board of trustees members given any instruction to Muralidharan to issue any cheque to any individual, company, bank and so forth?

Faisalludin: Never.

When re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt on whether every contribution received by Yayasan Al-Falah needed the approval of the board of trustees, Faisalludin said: “Yes.”

Ahmad Zahid, 67, is facing 27 counts of money laundering, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust and eight counts of corruption involving funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

The trial continues before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

-- BERNAMA