Zahid Never Promised Businessman Myeg Contract Court Told

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Ahmad Zahid Hamidi cannot be held liable for something his brother did behind his back, his lawyer told the High Court.KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court was told today that former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had never promised to award the MyEG project to a businessman.
Lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said businessman Junaith Asharab Md Shariff had affirmed that a sum of RM13 million paid to Zahid’s Yayasan Akalbudi in 2016 was meant to build mosques and tahfiz schools.
“The two corruption charges, totalling RM13 million, cannot be said to be an inducement to the accused (Zahid) in appointing a company, Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, for MyEG,” Hisyam said.
“Junaith said it was the accused’s brother (Mohamad Nasaee) who ‘promised’ him the MyEG project.
“There was no evidence adduced before the court to show Nasaee informed his brother that he made such a ‘promise’ to Junaith.
“He cannot be held liable for something that his brother did behind his back.”
Zahid is standing trial on 47 charges of money laundering and CBT involving millions from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister.
Twelve of the charges are for CBT, eight for corruption and the remaining 27 for money laundering.
Hisyam said that part of the RM13 million was paid to a contractor in 2017 to build mosques.
“Lawyer Muralidharan Balan Pillai from Lewis & Co confirmed that a sum of RM5 million was paid to a construction firm, Noble Energy,” he said.
Co-counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh told the court the corruption charges were “vague” and had prejudiced Zahid.
He said the process of awarding the government contract for the supply of passport chips to Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd in 2016 was done in accordance with government procedure.
Hamidi also said he would make further submissions on the Securities Commission’s regulations to support the defence’s argument.
The hearing before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Sept 20. - FMT

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