Zahid’s minuted comment on contract extension for visa system supplier not an instruction, court told

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SHAH ALAM: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s minuted comment on the contract extension for Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) in implementing the federal government’s Foreign Visa System (VLN) was not a directive, the High Court right here has heard.

Former Home Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Alwi Ibrahim stated primarily based on the minutes recorded on Oct 18, 2016 and despatched to him, Ahmad Zahid agreed to the extension.

“The minutes learn: ‘Datuk Seri KSU/ Datuk PUU, I have no objection to the contract extension of six months until Aug 31, 2025, as stated in article 2.2.1 of the existing agreement. Please prepare the supplementary agreement soonest possible’,” he told the court on Thursday (Feb 3).

To a query by Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal who represented the previous deputy prime minister, on paragraph 10 of the witness assertion, Alwi, 63, agreed that Ahmad Zahid’s comment within the recorded minutes was not an instruction however he was solely agreeing to the extension.

Ahmad Zaidi: What did Tan Sri (Alwi) perceive by the minutes (saying) ‘soonest attainable’?

Alwi: My understanding was that it have to be performed quick.

Ahmad Zaidi: How quick? One, two weeks?

Alwi: It would rely on the contract.

Alwi additionally agreed with Ahmad Zaidi that though the minutes stated “soonest attainable”, the extension was nonetheless topic to Home Ministry procedures.

Ahmad Zahid, 69, is going through 33 prices of receiving bribes amounting to SGD13.56mil from UKSB as inducement for himself, as an official of a public physique particularly house minister, to increase the contract of the corporate in addition to retain the settlement to produce the VLN built-in system.

On seven different prices, Ahmad Zahid is alleged, as the identical minister, to have obtained for himself SGD1.15mil, RM3mil, 15,000 Euros and US$15,000 from UKSB that had hyperlinks along with his official duties.

The listening to earlier than choose Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa will proceed on March 7. – Bernama



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