Anifah denies being among those who received bribes
Published on: Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said he is willing to assist any investigation to clear his name. — Reuters file pic
Kuala Lumpur: Former federal foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (pic) has denied being the recipient of funds from a company implicated in Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial.The president of Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) said in a Facebook post that he was shocked to hear that his name was recorded in Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd’s (UKSB) ledgers as one of the recipients of financial contributions, as testified by David Tan, the company’s former administrative manager.
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“I am shocked by these reports.
“As the then foreign minister, I met many people. To my recollection, I have neither met David Tan nor have I received any money from him or UKSB. I do not know who they are and I did not have any dealings with them in any manner whatsoever,” he said. The former Umno man also said he is willing to assist any investigation to clear his name.
Anifah’s name came up when the defence questioned Tan — the 17th prosecution witness in Zahid’s ongoing corruption case — last Friday about entries made in a ledger file titled “HL PE” concerning cash payments made by UKSB to various politicians and government officials, including the accused. Tan affirmed that the initials “FM” in the ledger were used for Anifah.
Other politicians named in the trial said to have received cash payments from UKSB are Khairy Jamaluddin (RM3.7 million), Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (RM1.3 million), Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (between RM200,000 and RM300,000), and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (amount not mentioned).
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Khairy and Reezal Merican are from Umno while Muhyiddin is Bersatu president and Shafie is his Parti Warisan counterpart.
Muhyiddin has also denied being a recipient of kickbacks from UKSB. He was at that time the home minister and reportedly UKSB’s projects came under his purview.
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Zahid is accused of 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) 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 for a visa system between October 2014 and March 2018.
Kedah Bersatu would lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on allegations that several “ministers, politicians and government servants” had received funds from Ultra Kirana.
“We will be lodging a report with the and request for an immediate investigation to be done, based on statements made by a former UKSB administrative manager in court,” state Bersatu info chief Khairul Anuar Ramli said.
Khairul hoped that those implicated, namely health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, former foreign minister Anifah Aman, housing and local government minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican, and defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein, would respond to these allegations.
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