“Assistance amounting to millions of ringgit could not be disbursed after I was charged,” the former deputy prime minister told the court after he was questioned by defence counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal.
Zahid, who is also Umno president, was charged on Oct 18, 2018, five months after Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over Putrajaya.
It was also revealed earlier during the prosecution’s case that Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds were held under trust by a legal firm, Lewis & Co.
The Bagan Datuk MP is accused of 47 counts of money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister between 2013 and 2018.
Twelve of the charges are for CBT, eight for corruption and the remaining 27 for money laundering.
Today is the first day of the defence’s case with Zahid opting to give evidence under oath.
Reading a witness statement and occasionally answering Zaidi’s questions, Zahid listed out Yayasan Akalbudi’s charitable activities in his parliamentary constituency, other parts of the country, and outside Malaysia.
Zahid said the foundation, previously known as Yayasan Budi, was set up in 1997, and initially, funds came from his income from business ventures.
He said Yayasan Akalbudi not only assisted poor and needy Muslims but also non-Muslims.
“I am a true Malaysian though I am a Muslim. I assist people from other faiths too,” he added.
For example, Zahid said the foundation provided assistance to the poor in his constituency during the Chinese New Year and Deepavali celebrations every year.
He added that Yayasan Akalbudi was also involved in assisting minority Muslim communities overseas to build or renovate mosques.
“We built such places of worship in Yunan (China), Capetown (South Africa), Perth (Australia), as well as in Narathiwat and Patani (Southern Thailand)” he said.
According to Zahid, because the foundation’s charity work was well known, Yayasan Akalbudi also received contributions from many individuals, including business tycoons.
Among those identified by Zahid were former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s brother-in-law, Hashim Ali, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, Halim Saad, and Ahmad Johan.
The hearing before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah was adjourned to Friday.