KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today argued that the RM6 million he received from two individuals connected to the supply of chips for Malaysian passports was nothing more than a political donation meant to be used for charitable purposes.

He contended that even those who had given the money to him had previously testified that political contribution was also a mechanism of "amal jariah" (charity).

"It is absolutely not a bribe or corruption money given so that I would appoint their company for the passport chips contract.

"The charges against me are slanderous...slanderous...," the former deputy prime minister and home minister said in a loud voice while testifying in his own defence at the High Court here this morning.  

Zahid, 69, said this when defending against two charges of having received RM5 million and RM1 million respectively to appoint Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd (DTSB) for the supply of 12.5 million chips for Malaysia passports.

Zahid, who was home minister from July 2015 to May 2018, was accused of receiving the RM6 million through cheques banked into Lewis & Co law firm's client account from DTSB deputy managing director Chew Ben Ben.

However, he argued the accusations that he received bribes from the company was nothing more than slander against him and also DTSB, which was eventually awarded a five year contract to supply the chips in 2015.

He said this was because the ultimate decision to award the contract to DTSB was made by the Finance Ministry through direct negotiation.

Earlier, Zahid acknowledged that the two cheques deposited into Lewis & Co's client's account were issued by Syarikat Sarana KencanaSdn Bhd, owned by Tan Sri Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Ali and Datuk Abu Hanifah Noordin.

However, he said Hanifah - who was also DTSB Group managing director, had previously testified the money was not a payment, bribe or gratification for the company to win the passport chips contract.

"This witness himself said the money was a political donation.

"He testified that he believed political donations were also part of charity... Hanifah and Chew have both testified that the money had nothing to do with the contract," he said, while also referring to a statement which was issued by DTSB in 2018 denying that the company or its directors had made any payments to Zahid in relation to the supply of 12.5 million chips for Malaysian passports.

Zahid said all procedures that needed to be followed had been adhered to before the contract was awarded to DTSB.

"My role as the Home Minister at that time was just to provide assistance and give the appropriate responses to the Finance Ministry, Immigration Department and the procurement division of the Home Ministry," he said.

The hearing before High Court Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.