KUALA LUMPUR: A key witness in Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's corruption trial said the former deputy prime minister was labelled as 'monster' in his company Buku 555 (note book) which contained a list of people who were given money.
Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun said this in the Umno president's corruption trial involving the foreign visa system programme (VLN).
Tan said he codenamed Zahid as 'monster' after the famous hairy blue Mamee Monster snack in the company's ledger book which contained details of payments to several high-profile politicians.
"I was eating the snack when I was about to key in an entry in the book for Zahid.
"I used codenames for the recipients - including various politicians and government servants to conceal their identities," he said.
Tan, who is the 17th prosecution witness, said this during examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran.
The 47-year-old witness said he also made several other codenames for Zahid such as Z, ZH, MON, and Young Boy in the ledger.
Earlier, UKSB former director Harry Lee Vui Khun who testified as the 15th prosecution witness, confirmed that the company was paying cash in Singapore dollars on a monthly basis to Zahid from 2014 to 2018.
Harry said the payment to Zahid, which started with S$200,000 per month and began in late 2014 was increased to S$520,000 per month some time in 2017.
Zahid, 69, who is Bagan Datuk member of parliament, has pleaded not guilty to 33 charges of receiving SG$13.46 million from Ultra Kirana as inducement to extend the company's contract as the operator of a one-stop centre in China and the foreign visa system, as well as to maintain the agreement to supply a foreign visa integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the Home Ministry.
He is also facing another seven charges of accepting SG$1,150,000, RM3,000,000, €15,000 and US$15,000 in cash from the same company, which he knew had connections with his function as then home minister.
The trial before judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues.