SHAH ALAM: The prosecution in Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's corruption case today dismissed the Umno president's defence of receiving political donations from a company awarded the one-stop centre for foreign visa applications (VLN) contract when he was Home Minister.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran said it was illogical for Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) to make monthly payments to Zahid over a period of four years during the time when he was a Minister and had dealings with the company.
"If it is a political donation it should not be like we are putting money into a piggy bank on a regular basis.
"It should be a one off payment...in this case, it was done every month for four years. They paid him...not to Umno.
"Just because the accused says it is a political donation does not mean it is halal," she said
Raja Rozela later pointed out that it was against the law under Section 165 of the Penal Code for public servants to receive anything of value without consideration from any person who has official dealings with them.
"He or she may be just a police inspector or an elected Member of Parliament holding top positions in the government.
"If that public servant is allowed to accept a thing of value when they are prohibited from accepting or obtaining bribes under the existing anti-bribery laws, they could easily circumvent the prohibition by accepting the bribe in the shape of a gift, or as in our case, cash money disguised or labelled as political donation.
"Public servants cannot receive political donations...tak boleh, tak boleh tak boleh (cannot, cannot, cannot)," she said.
Raja Rozela said this in her closing submissions at the end of the prosecution's case involving Zahid's corruption trial at the High Court here.
Earlier, she recapped how Zahid had used his position as Home Minister to secure corruption money from UKSB.
She said witnesses had testified giving Zahid SGD200,000 per month and also RM3 million cash which was delivered to him in a trolley bag at one time.
Zahid listened intently while sitting in the dock as the prosecutor listed out how he had established a working relationship with UKSB, sought kickbacks and received payments from the company.
Raja Rozela said there was overwhelming and credible evidence to show all this happened when Zahid was Home Minister from May 16, 2013 to May 9, 2018.
She said at the time of the commission of the offence, Zahid knew UKSB was connected to his official functions as Minister.
Recounting how it all started, she said the Home Ministry's (KDN) working relationship with UKSB began in 2012 when the company was awarded a six-year contract to establish the One-Stop Centre for visa applications.
At that time Datuk Seri Hishammudin Tun Hussein was the Home Minister. However, when Zahid took over in May 2013, the ministry awarded four more contracts to UKSB.
Raja Rozela said it was during this time that Zahid became directly involved with UKSB in almost every aspect of the process that eventually led to the award of the contracts.
She said there is a vast number of documentary evidence in the form of official papers and correspondences pertaining to UKSB's contracts with KDN that bore Zahid's handwritten notes and minutes.
She added that key witnesses - especially two directors of UKSB namely Harry Lee Vui Khiun and Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, had testified about the numerous business meetings they had with Zahid.
"The fact that the accused had a healthy business relationship with UKSB is plain to see from the evidence.
"Their first meet and greet session took place in mid 2013 soon after the accused was appointed as Home Minister," she said, adding from then on Zahid frequently met with the dup at his Country Height's residence in Kajang.
Raja Rozela also pointed out that Harry Lee had testified that Wan Quoris was roped in as UKSB director merely because the latter was an Umnoman who could help ease communications with the then new minister.
"As it turned out, Wan Quoris proved himself to be useful to the company where he played his part well in building a strong rapport with the accused," she said.
Touching on Zahid's request for cash in Singapore dollars, she said evidence adduced showed the former Deputy Prime Minister had requested money in such currency purportedly for political reasons.
She said the monthly payments to Zahid started in 2014 following the first few meetings at his house at Country Heights, and UKSB had opted to pay him monthly as the company was not prepared to give cash in one lump sum.
The DPP said the UKSB directors had testified that the handing over of the money would be done at Zahid's residence at night, usually after 10pm.
She said the cash bearers were always allowed to go in bypassing the security guards and policemen at the gated community residence without the the need to report at the guard house.
"The deliveries were made either at his private residence at Country Heights or at his official residence at Seri Satria.
"David Tan also testified about having personally delivered RM3 million in a trolley bag," she said.
Zahid has all this while maintained that he was a victim of selective prosecution as none of the other high-profile people said to have received bribes from UKSB had not been charged.
Zahid is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from UKSB as an inducement to extend the company's contract as the operator of the One Stop Centres 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.
He was also charged with another seven counts as Home Minister who obtained S$1.15 million, RM3 million and US$15,000 in cash from the same company for himself in connection with his official work.
He is accused of committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.
The trial before High Court Judge Datuk Yazid Mustafa continues.