Judge Yazid Mustafa ordered the amended charge to be read out to Zahid, 69, after allowing deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob’s application to amend the third charge, which involved the change of currency from 15,000 in euros to 15,000 in Swiss francs.

As soon as the amended charge was read out to him through an interpreter, Zahid made the plea of not guilty.

According to the amended charge, Zahid is charged as the home minister with obtaining for himself 15,000 in Swiss francs from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) in connection with his official work.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at No. 389, Jalan Bayu Nyaman, Country Heights, Kajang, in May 2016.

The amended charge, framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, carries imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine or both, if convicted.

Zahid is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the One-Stop Centre in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the company by the ministry.

For another seven counts, Zahid is charged as home minister to have obtained for himself S$1.15 million, RM3 million, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 in cash from the same company in connection with his official work.

He is charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.

The hearing continues.