Alwi, 62, said this was because the existing contract still had a long way to go before it ended.

“However, based on the company report that I received, I was satisfied with its (UKSB) performance,” he said during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin on the ninth day of Zahid’s trial on 40 corruption charges.

To another question by Wan Shaharuddin, on whether extending contracts too early was a common practice, Alwi said as far as he could remember, it had never happened before.

Alwi, who is the sixth prosecution witness, when reading out his witness statement, said he, however, complied with the instruction issued by Zahid, who was also home minister then, to extend UKSB’s contract three years before it ended in 2019.

“Based on item 2.2.1 of the agreement to supply the VLN integrated system, the company can apply for a contract extension not less than six months before the expiry of the contract,” said Alwi, who also confirmed the minutes and letters pertaining to the extension of the VLN contract to UKSB.

Zahid, 68, is charged with 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM41 million) from Ultra Kirana as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant, then as home minister, to extend the contract of the company as the operator of a One Stop Centre (OSC) service in China, and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract to supply the VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the ministry.

On seven other charges, Zahid was charged, in his capacity as home minister then, for accepting S$1.15 million, RM3 million, €15,000 (RM71,000) and US$15,000 (RM63,000) without consideration from the same company, which he knew had a connection with his function.

The trial before Judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues tomorrow.