SHAH ALAM: The High Court heard that Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) was just following the orders of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to extend the contract of Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) as the sole operator of the Foreign Visa System (VLN) to Malaysia in China.

       Former Home Ministry deputy secretary-general (Policy and Control) Datuk Suriani Ahmad said this was based on the minutes jotted down by Najib dated May 23, 2013, and sent to Ahmad Zahid, which stated “projek ini perlu diteruskan” (this project needs to be continued).

       Asked by defence counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh under whose order, based on the minutes, Suriani replied: “Order from the prime minister.”

       When referred to another minute dated Jan 20, 2014, by the lawyer, Suriani said: “The minute states ‘YB Datuk Seri Zahid, please help in this matter. This contract needs to be continued’.”

       Hamidi: Those were the words of the Prime Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister?

       Suriani: Correct.

       Suriani also agreed with Hamidi that she would carry out the instructions if asked by her superior, Tan Sri Alwi Ibrahim, the then ministry secretary-general.

       In the previous proceedings, second prosecution witness, former principal assistant secretary at the Immigration Affairs Division of the ministry, Azman Azra Abdul Rahman @ Md Salleh, testified that UKSB had sent several letters to Najib requesting his consideration to retain the company as the sole operator of visa management to Malaysia in China.

       Suriani, questioned by deputy public prosecutor Gan Peng Kun during cross-examination of the minutes received by the ministry from Ahmad Zahid regarding the extension of the VLN contract, explained that it was done in a hurry.

       “The ministry’s stance was that if it agreed to grant the extension, it would be made in a hurry because the contract was still running and there was still plenty of time before it expired. That’s why I think there should be time and space to make an assessment first.

       “The contract had yet to expire. There was still three years. Three more years to make an assessment. That was the position of the ministry,” Suriani said.

       The fifth prosecution witness, former Prime Minister’s Department’s Cabinet, Constitution and Inter-Government Relations Division assistant secretary, Sheeba Kunhmon, 48, testified that Ahmad Zahid received a salary and allowance amounting to RM44,383.15 per month, from 2015 to 2018, while serving as deputy prime minister.

       “As a federal minister (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Defence Minister and Home Minister) between 2008 and 2015, he received RM14,907.20 in salary, with RM24,320 in allowance,” she said when reading her witness statement during examination-in-chief by DPP Zander Lim Wai Keong.

       Ahmad Zahid, 68, is charged with 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil from UKSB, as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant, then as Home Minister, to extend the contract of the company as the operator of a One-Stop Centre service in China, and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract to supply the VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the ministry.

       On seven other charges, Ahmad Zahid was charged in his capacity as then Home Minister for accepting S$1,150,000, RM3,000,000, €15,000, and US$15,000 without consideration from the same company, which he knew had a connection with his function.

       The hearing before Justice Mohd Yazid Mustafa resumes on Dec 20. — Bernama