Mahathir denies receiving political donations from company
PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has denied the allegation that he received political donations from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) for the Pribumi Bersatu Party Malaysia after the 14th general election.
“I haven’t received (the money). If he can show proof, I accept it, that’s easy to say.
“If someone gives me money, show me who gave it, I never received the money,” he told a press conference after holding a meeting with tour boat operators at Tanjung Rhu Pier on Monday, July 25.
On the other hand, he said the party claiming to have received the funds should present evidence and not just talk nonsense.
Sinar Harian quoted the Langkawi MP who said he was ready to be investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the matter.
“I am ready, show me the proof I have (the money). There have been many accusations against me that I am rich with billions of ringgits saved in Switzerland and Taiwan,” he said. added.
During the corruption trial of former Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Monday, former UKSB chief administrative officer David Tan Siong Sun, 47, said Dr Mahathir, then chairman of Bersatu, had received the donation intended for the party through his nephew Tan Sri. Rahmat Abu Bakar.
Mr Tan said the code name ‘Kedahan’ was used for Mr Rahmat in the UKSB’s ledger on company cash outflows.
He also said similar payments had been made to “ministers, politicians and civil servants” and that he kept a record of payments made between 2014 and 2018 in spreadsheet files on his laptop.
He had previously named several politicians, including former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, among those who received money directly or by proxy.
Ahmad Zahid, 69, faces 33 charges of accepting bribes worth SG$13.56million from the UKSB for himself as home secretary of the time to extend the company’s contract as a One Stop Center (OSC) operator in China and for the Visa Overseas (VLN) system, as well as maintaining the contractual agreement for the supply of the integrated VLN system.
On seven other counts, Ahmad Zahid is accused of having obtained for himself 1,150,000 Singapore dollars, 3 million RM (932,230 Singapore dollars), 15,000 Swiss francs (21,550 Singapore dollars) and 15,000 US dollars (S$20,800) from the UKSB who had official connections to his official duties.
Ahmad Zahid is charged with committing all offenses at Sri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.
