KUALA LUMPUR: A key witness told the High Court today that Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor told him to pay RM2 million to Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, as ‘political fund’ for Umno.
Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd managing director Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong said the former Umno secretary-general told him that the party needed between RM5 million to RM6 million for by-elections.
“I personally gave him the cheque in his office as I often went there to discuss about Federal Territories Affordable Housing (Rumawip) project,” he said, adding that Tengku Adnan had approached him on September 2013 for the project.
“I can verify that the RM2 million cheque is a political donation to Tengku Adnan," he said.
“He asked me how much I could give but I did not promise him anything. I said I would hand over the cheque once I have the money.”
Chai, who had known Tengku Adnan since the 1980s when he was involved in the timber industry, said the latter had given him Tadmansori Sdn Bhd’s name for that purpose.
“I did not know who owned the company. I also did not ask him why I needed to channel the fund to Tadmansori and not directly into Umno’s account," Chai said.
He was testifying in Tengku Adnan’s bribery trial which entered its seventh day today.
In his witness statement tendered in court, Chai said Tengku Adnan who was then the Federal Territories Minister told him to identify strategic locations for the project (Rumawip) which he had agreed.
He said the company had identified two plots of land measuring 4.05 hectares belonging to the City Hall and applied for the properties to be sold to them (Aset Kayamas).
“I personally sent the application letter to Tengku Adnan on Jan 27, 2015, at his office because the project directly came under him.
Tengku Adnan is charged with accepting RM2 million from Chai, whom he knew had connection with his official function, via a cheque belonging to Aset Kayamas, which was deposited into a bank account belonging to Tadmansori Holding, in which the accused had interest.
He allegedly committed the offence in his capacity as a public servant, which was the Federal Territories minister at the time, at CIMB Bank Bhd, Pusat Bandar Damansara branch, level 1, Lot A4, Block A, Pusat Bandar Damansara, here, on June 14, 2016.
Aset Kayamas was set up in 2011, with a primary focus of delivering homes that were founded on quality and affordability.
Its expanding portfolio featured various luxury residential development projects such as Park Hill in Bukit Jalil, The Henge in Kepong and The Holmes in Bandar Tun Razak.
It has also worked on several affordable public housing projects across the Klang Valley in collaboration under the Perumahan Penjawat Awam 1Malaysia (PPA1M) and Rumawip schemes.
Hearing continues.