For every ‘salam’ from Isa, I paid him money, witness tells court

Ikhwan Zaidel says he would receive Isa Samad’s ‘salam’ greetings through Zahid Md Arip (right), which he understood as a request for money.

KUALA LUMPUR:

Former Felda chairman Isa Samad would send his “salam” (greeting) through his aide as a signal that he wanted kickback from the sale of a hotel in Kuching to Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FIC), the High Court heard today.

Ikhwan Zaidel, 59, former managing director of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, said he had paid a total of RM3.09 million to Isa in nine payments which were collected by the latter’s special officer Zahid Md Arip between July 2014 and December 2016 at different locations.

He said Zahid would each time put the money into a paper bag.

“Zahid would now and then contact me to pass ‘salam’ from Isa. I understood what he meant by salam, and fulfilled his request,” Ikhwan told Isa’s corruption trial today.

Isa is facing one charge of CBT and nine counts of corruptly receiving more than RM3 million at Menara Felda, Platinum Park, Persiaran KLCC between April 29, 2014 and Dec 11, 2015.

Ikhwan, the 16th prosecution witness, said after being contacted by Zahid, he would contact the owner of JV Evolution Sdn Bhd, Azizi Abdul Wahab, to withdraw the money.

He said in the first meeting in July 2014, he gave Zahid a paper bag containing RM100,000 at the PJ Hilton.

He said he informed Zahid that the RM100,000 was an advance from his own money, and that the amount would be deducted from the balance of the promised RM3 million.

“I then gave RM140,000 to Zahid between July 21 and July 28 2014 at the same location,” he added.

In October 2014, Ikhwan said Zahid again passed Isa’s “salam”, after which he instructed Azizi to withdraw RM300,000.

He said the money was delivered to Zahid at his house in Sunway Opal Condominium, Petaling Jaya.

“Few days later, between Nov 5 and 10, 2014, I gave Zahid RM250,000 at my house, and on June 25, 2015, at around 11pm, I met Zahid at my house and handed him RM500,000.”

Ikhwan said another RM500,000 was delivered to Zahid on July 8, 2015.

He said several payments to Zahid followed, including RM300,000 in August 2015, RM500,000 in September 2015 and finally RM500,000 in December 2015.

“I informed Zahid that this would be the final payment for Isa. I believe all the money I gave to Zahid was for Isa,” he said, adding that there was no further request from Zahid.

Hearing before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues.

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For every ‘salam’ from Isa, I paid him money, witness tells court

Former company director Ikhwan Zaidel tells court of a series of meetings he had with Isa Samad's special officer Zahid Md Arip.