A project supervisor named Marlin Ahmad, testified in the High Court that Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, former Deputy Prime Minister, always fulfilled his promises and made prompt payments to contractors for development projects in the Bagan Datuk area. Marlin, the brother of the late Sanusi Ahmad, founder of Sutida Enterprise which handled the projects, stated that his brother informed him about Ahmad Zahid’s involvement in the projects. Marlin stated, “I know that almost all works or projects undertaken by my late brother were ordered by Datuk Seri Zahid. Usually, my brother would carry out the work without asking for advance payment. This is because Datuk Seri Zahid is a person who always keeps his word and pays for the work done.”
Marlin made this statement during the defence trial of Ahmad Zahid, who faces 12 charges of breach of trust, eight charges of corruption, and 27 charges of money laundering. The allegations involve embezzlement of funds from the Yayasan Akalbudi foundation, amounting to millions of ringgit.
Marlin further revealed that the projects carried out by Sutida Enterprise in Bagan Datuk since 1999 included the construction of a RM1.14 million orphanage, a RM600,000 mosque, a RM50,000 surau, and a RM450,000 hall. The most recent project is the construction of Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz Tuminah Hamidi. However, Ahmad Zahid did not want his contribution to be publicly acknowledged, which is why there were no notice or signboards to indicate his involvement in the Sutida Enterprise construction projects.
A witness named Atan Sampol, the chairman of Seri Perkasa Mosque, Kampung Seri Perkasa Hutan Melintang, Bagan Datuk, also testified in court. Atan stated that Ahmad Zahid provided significant support to the residents of Bagan Datuk, particularly the orphans and the poor. He mentioned that almost all the mosques and surau in the district were constructed using donations from Ahmad Zahid. Atan added, “The construction cost of nearly RM600,000 for this mosque was 100% contributed by Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Fully completed in 2006, it was officially inaugurated in 2008.”
According to Atan, the payment for the mosque construction was directly made to the late Sanusi, the contractor who passed away in 2015 due to cancer. Another witness, Datuk Mokhtar Tukol, the chairman of Surau An-Nur Parit 25 Darat in Bagan Datuk, testified that he has known Ahmad Zahid for 35 years and described him as a generous individual.
The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah will continue on September 4th.
Source: Bernama
Credit: The Star : News Feed
