‘I gave former DPM Ahmad Zahid S$655,000’, says Malaysian company director in court

KUALA LUMPUR — A director of a one-stop visa processing centre claimed in the Malaysian High Court on Wednesday (Nov 27) that he had to pay former Malaysian deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi RM2 million (S$655,000) in bribes to allow his company to operate in Nepal and Pakistan.

According to Malaysian media reports, Mr Azlan Shah Jaffril, 48, the director of Profound Radiance (PRSB), said this during his testimony in a civit suit brought by PRSB’s former director Nor Rosnani Ibrahim against Mr Azlan and the company.

When questioned by Ms Nor Rosnani’s lawyer R. S. Sodhi on whether Mr Ahmad Zahid had been charged with receiving a RM2 million bribe from him, Mr Azlan Shah responded: “Yes that was what he is being charged with, but I am a prosecution witness.”

Judicial Commissioner Ong Chee Kwan then told the parties not to dwell too much on the matter, as there was a pending criminal trial, The Edge Markets reported.

To another question from Mr Sodhi as to why he had donated money from PRSB to a mosque in Tapah, Mr Azlan Shah said he had done so allegedly as a payment to “officers” in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for assisting PRSB to reinstate its contract in Dhaka, Bangladesh after it was terminated in 2015.

The monthly payments of RM21,000 were made since 2016, according to The Edge Markets.

“I did seek assistance from officers in PMO after the contract was terminated... but they said, ‘we don’t want any money from you, just donate to this mosque every month',” Mr Azlan Shah told the court.

According to Bernama, Mr Azlan Shah said in his witness statement that the Home Ministry had revoked PRSB’s contract because Mr Ahmad Zahid, then-home minister, was “not happy with the individuals behind PRSB”.

Mr Azlan Shah said that after the contract was revoked, he continued to engage with the ministry on his own.

The lawsuit, filed on May 8 this year, reportedly centres around shares and revenue allegedly owed to Ms Nor Rosnani by PRSB after she relinquished her post.

The hearing continues on Friday. AGENCIES