Executive secretary Suhaimi Yahya said Bersatu received the invoice and subsequent reminder notices from Haniff between January and March 2021 for payment of the invoiced sum.

He said Bersatu acknowledged receipt of the invoice and reminders but “there were no instructions from the (then) secretary-general (Hamzah Zainudin) to respond”.

“The secretary-general did not instruct me to check the particulars (of Haniff’s invoice),” Suhaimi said, testifying for Bersatu.

Haniff filed a lawsuit in 2021, seeking to recover RM12.5 million in legal fees from Bersatu, named as the first defendant, for services rendered.

The lawyer also named party president Muhyiddin Yassin, deputy president Hamzah, and treasurer Salleh Bajuri as co-defendants.

Haniff alleged that prior to filing the suit, he had issued invoices to the party for services rendered but received no response.

In its defence, Bersatu claimed that Haniff had given it “pro bono” services between 2016 to 2020.

Asked by Justice Akhtar Tahir whether he could have acted independently to check on the details of Haniff’s invoice, Suhaimi said he could only act on the secretary-general’s instructions.

The hearing continues on May 29.

Bersatu’s lawyer Chetan Jethwani said they would be calling Muhyiddin to testify.