KUALA LUMPUR: The financial controller of a company told the High Court here today that Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd director Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong ordered him to make a payment of RM2 million to Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, which belonged to former federal territories minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
Lai Vui Kiong, 59, who was an employee at Chai’s company, Sinerjuta Sdn Bhd, from 2013 until 2016, said he did not know the purpose of the payment and was not certain whether Tadmansori Holdings had any business dealings with Aset Kayamas.
“It was not often that monthly payments were made to this company (Tadmansori Holdings),” he said when reading out his witness statement on the sixth day of Tengku Adnan’s corruption trial.
Lai, who is the 16th witness, said after receiving the instruction from Chai, he checked Aset Kayamas’ account at Hong Leong Bank and found there was sufficient fund to make the payment.
“After checking the payment voucher and being satisfied with it, I then handed it to Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong for approval,” he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Firdaous Mohamed Idris.
When showed the payment voucher, Lai, who was tasked with monitoring the financial position of all construction companies belonging to Chai, confirmed that the signature of the person who verified it was his, but could not remember who prepared the document.
As for the signature at the section “prepared by” on the document, Lai said he had seen it before, and the signature at the section “approved by” was that of Chai.
Questioned by Tengku Adnan’s lawyer Datuk Tan Hock Chuan whether he knew that the RM2 million payment by Chai was a political contribution, Lai said he did not know.
Tan: When you received the instruction from Chai to make the RM2 million payment, did you ask for what purpose?
Lai : I did not.
Lai also concurred with Tan that there were no details on the payment voucher for the issuance of the RM2 million cheque.
When re-examined by Mohammad Firdaous on why there were no details stated in the payment voucher, Lai said no supporting documents were given to him for the purpose.
Tengku Adnan was charged in his capacity as a public servant, namely Federal Territories Minister, to have accepted for himself RM2 million from Chai via a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to Aset Kayamas which was deposited into the CIMB Bank account of Tadmansori Holdings in which he had an interest, when it was known that Aset Kayamas had connection with his official duties.
The offence was allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Berhad, Pusat Bandar Damansara Branch here on June 14, 2016.
The charge was framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to two years or fine or both, on conviction.
The hearing before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues on Tuesday. — Bernama
