KUALA LUMPUR: A witness told the High Court here yesterday that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Football Association received a cheque for RM1.3 million from Yayasan Akalbudi for the management of the association in November 2015.
The association’s assistant secretary ASP Mohd Nizam Mohd Noor, 39, said the cheque dated Nov 19 2015 was received from Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s son-in-law, Datuk Zul Hisham Zainal who was the intermediary between the association and the former deputy prime minister.
According to the 20th prosecution witness, the cheque was later handed to the association’s assistant treasurer Sergeant Khairul Azuan Ramli to be banked into the association’s account.
When referred to a CIMB Bank account statement of the association dated Nov 30 2015 by deputy public prosecutor Nur Aishah Maulat Ahmad Zakiuddin, Mohd Nizam confirmed finding the sum of money amounting to RM1.3 million banked into the association’s account via a transaction dated Nov 23, 2015.
The police officer who was appointed to the post from 2008 till today, said when reading his witness statement on the 11th day of trial against Ahmad Zahid who is facing 47 charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds amounting to millions of ringgit.
When cross-examined by counsel Datuk Rosal Azimin Ahmad who is representing Ahmad Zahid, Mohd Nizam said before receiving the cheque, he had informed Zul Hisham that the association needed RM1.3 million to pay about three to four months of player salary arrears.
Rosal Azimin: I am proposing that the RM1.3 million is a form of assistance from Ahmad Zahid through the foundation to PDRM which is badly in need of the assistance.
Mohd Nizam: Agree.
Rosal Azimin: I am proposing that Ahmad Zahid need not help (association) but he himself wanted to give the aid (money).
Mohd Nizam: Yes, correct.
When Rosal Azimin proposed that on July 14 2016, the National Sports Council (MSN) had paid RM1 million back to the foundation and the remaining RM300,000 was a form of assistance from the foundation to PDRM, the witness replied not sure.
Earlier when reading his witness statement, Zul Hisham said as son-in-law of Ahmad Zahid since 2004, he did not know that his father-in-law owned Yayasan Akalbudi or any other foundations.
When cross-examined by Rosal Azimin on the RM1.3 million fund, the 19th prosecution witness who initially was not directly involved with PDRM football association around 2014, said Mohd Nizam told him that the RM1.3 million was for payment of player salaries and the association’s administrative expenses.
The businessman who was appointed officially as PDRM football team manager for the 2017 season said the average total monthly renumeration for 30 PDRM players and management was about RM500,000 to RM600,000 a month and the amount was inadequate if it depended on allocation received from PDRM and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Asked by Nur Aishah whether he saw any financial statement of the association in relation to the allocation of between RM500,000 to RM600,000 a month needed to pay player salaries and management of the PDRM football team, the witness said he did not see in detail and was only informed on the matter by Mohd Nizam.
The trial was held before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah. — Bernama