Zahid, who was deputy prime minister and home minister then, said he was practically abroad every month during this period.

The Umno president said this when cross-examined by lead deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran. She spent the entire morning showing Zahid the bank statements.

Among the countries where the cards had been used were the UK, Australia, the US, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, South Korea, and Italy.

The cards were also used for purchases in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Raja Rozela: Were you overseas every month?

Zahid: Yes, on official work.

Zahid said selected officers and security personnel would accompany him on such trips.

Raja Rozela’s cross-examination today centred around six of 12 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges against him. Among other things, Zahid is alleged to have settled his credit card payments using funds from Yayasan Akalbudi, a foundation he set up to help the poor and needy.

The prosecution’s case is that 44 Akalbudi cheques amounting to about RM1.3 million were used to settle his credit card bills.

All the CBT instances were alleged to have been committed between Jan 13, 2013 and Dec 23, 2016.

Zahid is also standing trial on 27 charges of money laundering and accepting bribes amounting to RM17 million for various projects during his tenure as the home minister.

In his defence relating to the use of the credit cards, the Bagan Datuk MP said his former aide Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly had used the foundation’s (Akalbudi) cheques to pay his credit card bills without his instruction, knowledge or agreement.

He told the court that Mazlina had also used a stamp carrying a replica of his signature on Yayasan Akalbudi’s cheques to settle the bills. Zahid said Mazlina was also negligent in handling his credit card payments and that she never showed him the bank statements.

The hearing before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah is adjourned to tomorrow.