Zahid’s special officer, Kamal Abdullah, said he first discovered that the former secretary, Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly, was careless with the handling of cheques in 2013.

At times, he said, Mazlina would write the wrong amount on the cheques or leave them lying around in the home ministry’s office. These included cheques involving Yayasan Akalbudi.

He said he corrected her whenever he came across a mistake.

“We (Zahid’s officers) advised and taught her (how to do her work) but she did not listen,” Kamal said during cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Dusuki Mokhtar today.

Dusuki had asked Kamal to elaborate on his claim that Mazlina was careless.

Mazlina testified in Zahid’s trial in 2020, where she told the court he allowed his officers to use the stamp bearing his signature to make credit card payments using Yayasan Akalbudi cheques.

The defence contends that Mazlina is the reason why Zahid is facing criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges over the alleged misuse of Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

Zahid is standing trial on charges of money laundering and CBT involving millions from Yayasan Akalbudi, and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as home minister.

Twelve of the charges are for CBT, eight for corruption and the remainder for money laundering.

To a question by Dusuki on whether Mazlina was removed or transferred from the ministry over her alleged carelessness, Kamal told the court she was not.

“Datuk Seri (Zahid) did not know about Mazlina and the cheques (in the past). He would have taken action against her if he knew,” he said.

Earlier today, the witness and the DPP clashed over the use of the term “accused person”.

Dusuki asked Kamal whether he knew if Mazlina was a suspect or had been charged in court with any offence.

However, Kamal said he did not understand the difference between an accused person and a suspect.

He said in jest that Mazlina was a “troublemaker”.

The hearing before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.