KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak paid RM67,000 to a contractor to build two water tank towers at his residence in Pekan, Pahang, the High Court here was told today.
Daud Muhammad, 53, the owner of Syadilah Enterprise that was entrusted to build the towers, said Najib, 66, made the payment through cheques.
“In 2013, I gave the quotation to the supervisor of Datuk Seri Najib’s house, Encik Zainudin Abdul Aziz, in Pekan.
“In 2014, Zainudin told me that work can be carried out, which is to build two water tank towers, comprising a three-storey tower and a two-storey tower,” he said during examination-in-chief by the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, on the sixth day trial of Najib’s case for alleged misappropriation of SRC International Sdn Bhd fund.
Daud, who is the eighth prosecution witness, said construction of the two towers took about three months because of the rainy season.
Daud said the two-storey tower was built near the kitchen of the residence, while the other was near Najib’s and his children’s bedroom.
When Muhammad Saifuddin asked whether he did other work at Najib’s residence, Daud said he also did the electrical wiring, repair of the air-conditioner, leaking roof, door knob and kitchen sink for RM10,300.
Daud said after the work was done, he would issue the invoice on the cost to Zainudin.
“Yes, I gave the invoice, RM67,000 for the two water tank towers, RM9,540 for electrical wiring, repair of air-conditioner and roof and RM760 for repair of the door knob and kitchen sink,” he said, adding that Zainuddin then gave him three cheques.
Cross-examined by Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Daud said the capacity of the two-storey water tank was 1,500 litres, while the third-storey tank was 3,000 litres of water and the amount of water in both tanks could accommodate the needs of about 1,000 people.
Asked on the need for the building of two water tank towers, Daud said they were used to accommodate the use by Najib’s family and the public.
He said the old water tank had aged and was often in need of repair, with the pump already damaged.
He said there was also an occasion when a dead animal was found in it.
When asked by Muhammad Shafee whether the construction of the new water tanks was urgently needed or a luxury, Daud said it was urgently needed.
He also told the court that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recorded his statement twice on the work he did at Najib’s residence.
Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering over SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42 million. — Bernama
