KUALA LUMPUR: A political consultant told the High Court here today that he received a RM2.5 million cheque from former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for the purpose of intelligence and political defence.
Datuk Habibul Rahman Kadir Shah, 62, the owner of HKS Consultant said he received the cheque on Feb 2, 2015 and also requested the money to be deposited to a legal firm, Zulqarnain & Co.
Habibul Rahman, who was the 23rd prosecution witness, said he purposely requested that the cheque be issued under Zulqarnain’s name to avoid income tax as the fund is for the purpose of political defence.
“I received the cheque personally from Najib at his residence in Putrajaya. I used the money to collect intelligence and for political purposes,“ he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi on the 11th day of Najib’s trial in relation to RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd’s funds.
Habibul Rahman also said that he could not remember if the cheque was written in front of him.
He said he gave the cheque to lawyer Ashraf Abdul Razak, who was formerly with Zulqarnain & Co, and asked him to prepare a few cheques for his wife and children while the rest of the amount was kept for the operations.
When cross-examined by lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on whether the witness had asked Najib about the source of the RM2.5 million, Habibul Rahman said he did not do so and he believed that the funds came from political donations.
“All past presidents have their political funds,” the witness said, adding that he was a member of Umno since 1984.
Meanwhile, the owner of Solar Shine Sdn Bhd, Datuk Lew Choon Lai, 60, admitted that he received a cheque of RM1 million from Najib on Feb 17, 2015 at the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya.
“The cheque was used to pay for goodies that were prepared for some events,“ he said, adding that the cheque was issued by Najib himself.
Lew, who was the 22nd prosecution witness said that once he received the cheque, he gave it to his account department.
When cross-examined by Muhammad Shafee, the witness said that he carried out the functions of volunteer services under the 1Malaysia programme.
Muhammad Shafee: So you consider the fund (RM1 million) is for welfare?
Lew: Yes.
Muhammad Shafee: When did you start to do the volunteer services?
Lew: I started in 2010 and stopped after the 14th General Election.
Najib, 66, is charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42 million.
The proceeding before High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues. — Bernama
