KUALA LUMPUR – The High Court was told today that the daughter of former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi showed interests in investing in Ri-Yaz Assets, a hotel management company.
The 93rd prosecution witness, investigation officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Muhammad Fazli Zulkifli revealed that Datuk Nurulhidayah was interested in investing in a hotel in Bali, Indonesia and not the Yayasan Akalbudi foundation.
The witness also said that based on his investigation Nurulhidayah also did not hold any position in Yayasan Akalbudi.
Earlier, Muhammad Fazli said that Ahmad Zahid alleged that the foundation was interested in investing in the hospitality company, however, through the investigation conducted by the MACC, other witnesses mentioned Nurulhidayah’s name.
Muhammad Fazli said that the decision to use RM17.9 million of funds from Yayasan Akalbudi, which was founded by Ahmad Zahid was decided by Nurulhidayah and it was made without the knowledge of the Board of Directors of the foundation.
“Nurulhidayah was interested with the stakes of the hotel in Bali and Yayasan Akabudi will pay for it. Datuk Ahmad Zahid’s daughter is said to have interest in purchase the stakes from the company and not Akalbudi. That was the result of our investigation,” he said when questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor, Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi before High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah today.
Today entered the 48th day of Ahmad Zahid’s trial, where he is charged for corruption, power abuse and money laundering of funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The witness also revealed that out of the RM17.5 million, RM8.6million was paid to Ri-Yaz Assets as deposit to acquire 60 percent of the stakes from Tan Sri Rashid Manaf by Nurulhidayah.
RM17.9 million was used to purchase fixed deposit and shares.
Muhammad Fazli also showed the flow chart of the money withdrawal at the court and explained that from the amount, RM8.6 million was used to pay the deposit to Ri-Yaz Assets Sdn Bhd, meanwhile, RM9.3 million was used to purchase fix deposits.
According to the witness, the financial poition of Ri-Yaz was not very stable at that time.
MACC investigation also found that Nurulhidayah was appointed as the Director of Ri-Yaz Assets on 27 January 2017 to replace Abdul Rashid who resigned as its director on the same date.
“Datuk Nurulhidayah then resigned as the director of the company on 31 January 2017. However, both Rashid and Datuk Nurulhidayah did not continue with the procurement of the stakes.
“After the deal was not continued, Datuk Nurulhidayah and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid requested for the RM8.3 million to be returned to Lewis & Co as the money belonged to Yayasan Akalbudi,” he explained.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the President of UMNO and the Member of Parliament of Bagan Datoh is facing 47 counts of charges. 12 of them involved criminal breach of trust, eight corruption and 27 money-laundering charges involving millions of ringgit of funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi. –MalaysiaGazette
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