by RAHIMI YUNUS / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

FORMER Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had an asset worth over RM938 million declared in 2001, the court was told.

Earlier during Tengku Adnan’s graft trial, Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan rejected the defence team’s application to have an in-camera proceeding — a private hearing without the presence of spectators — over the accused’s asset declarations.

Mohamed Zaini ruled that the trial must be conducted fairly and transparently as “the public have the right to see what the court sees and what decisions are being made in the court”.

Subsequently, during an examination by defence counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Tengku Adnan confirmed that he had made four asset declarations to the prime minister (PM) — in 2001 which he declared total assets valued at RM938.6 million, RM711.3 million (2006), RM691.8 million (2013) and RM782.7 million (2016).

Tengku Adnan said the written asset declarations were made when he was in the Cabinet to three different PMs at the material time, namely Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2001, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2006, and Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak in 2013 and 2016.

The defence aimed at proving that Tengku Adnan did not have the intention to use the RM2 million deposited into the account of his company — Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd — by submitting the asset declaration documents to the court.

“It was a political donation which I have asked from him (Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong) and he agreed to give RM2 million in political donation. And I also advanced money to run the two by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar,” Tengku Adnan testified in the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday.

When questioned by the prosecutor, Tengku Adnan suddenly raised his voice, after his asset disclosures were made known to the public in the court.

Deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim asked if his previous witness statement that said “a lot of jealousy and many people would like to see Tadmansori collapse” was his personal opinion.

Tengku Adnan disagreed, saying, “when I say I do not want to declare myself because publicly you know why; because now I have a problem with nearly a billion assets; because they feel they want to sensationalise, that is why I feel I have been deprived.”

Tengku Adnan has been charged with receiving RM2 million from Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd MD Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong over land deals linked to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.