Zahid’s charitable acts date back to 1995, court hears
Published on: Tuesday, August 22, 2023
By:
FMT, V Anbalagan
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is on trial for 47 counts of money laundering and CBT involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes between 2013 and 2018. (Bernama pic)
Kuala Lumpur: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has performed charitable and benevolent acts for the poor and needy since his election as Bagan Datuk MP in 1995, a witness told the High Court today.
Kamarulzaman Sampol, 54, a village head for the Sungai Keli area since 2018, said he was well aware of Zahid’s contribution as he was born and raised in the constituency.
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“I have personally known Zahid since he was elected MP in 1995,” said the 11th defence witness in Zahid’s corruption trial.
In his witness statement, Kamarulzaman pointed out that Zahid had used about RM100,000 of his personal funds to renovate a dilapidated religious school in Sungai Keli.
“I studied in that school which was run down, but it was Zahid who provided the funds to repair the building which was completed in 2007,” he said.
Kamarulzaman said Zahid was also responsible for building mosques in Kampung Kota and Kampung Sungai Keli.
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As an example, he said, Zahid had spent RM80,000 to refurbish Masjid Kampung Sungai Keli.
He said Zahid also spent another RM20,000 to build a dining hall at another religious school known as Maahad Tahfiz Al Quran Wal Qiraat Addin.
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In addition, the Umno president would contribute a cow during Hari Raya Haji celebrations, while the poor and needy were also given food packets every Ramadan.
Earlier, project manager Ramli Ghani said Zahid was also responsible for the construction of the RM43.7 million Tuminah Hamidi mosque in his constituency.
The witness said the project developer was Yayasan Al-Falah while the contractors were Noble Energy Construction and Yayasan Restu.
Under cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Dusuki Mokhtar, Ramli, who is with Noble Energy Construction, said the money to build the mosque came from Zahid’s Yayasan Akalbudi.
He said the contract documents entered between Yayasan Al-Falah, Noble Energy Construction and Yayasan Restu had been prepared by solicitors Lewis & Co.
Ramli said he did not know why Yayasan Akalbudi was not made a party to the contract document.
Zahid is accused of 47 counts of money laundering and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as home minister between 2013 and 2018.
Twelve of the charges are for CBT, eight for corruption and the remaining 27 for money laundering.
The trial before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah was adjourned to Thursday.
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