KUALA LUMPUR (June 29): Two witnesses in the corruption trial involving ex-federal territories minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today the budget for the Sungai Besar by-election in 2016 was just over RM1 million and that the former Umno secretary-general had sought the funds privately instead of relying on Umno headquarters.

Tengku Adnan's former political secretary Datuk Mohd Rafi Alli Hassan and Bandar Tun Razak Umno member Datuk Rizalman Mokhthar were testifying as defence witnesses at the High Court here today.

Tengku Adnan was accused of receiving RM2 million via a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd. The cheque was later deposited into the CIMB Bank Bhd account of Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, in which Tengku Adnan had an interest.

Tengku Adnan had previously reiterated on the witness stand that the RM2 million he received was a political donation to Umno for the by-election.

At the High Court today, Mohd Rafi said he had gone to Tengku Adnan’s house one week before the by-election and collected RM1 million from the former minister’s house along Jalan Duta here.

“I collected (in cash) the money from Tengku Adnan’s house in Jalan Duta.

“Umno headquarters never gave any money for the Sungai Besar by-election, he never relied on Umno headquarters for such funding as he always privately funded Umno Wilayah Persekutuan,” Mohd Rafi said.

Tengku Adnan was Umno Wilayah Persekutuan chief at that time.

Rizalman said today that as Umno Wilayah Persekutuan was in charge of the Sungai Besar by-election, the responsibility fell on Tengku Adnan to ensure Umno and Barisan Nasional won the by-election.

“I was in charge of logistics, campaigning, voting and ensuring BN wins, among other things, in the by-election,” Rizalman said.

Rizalman said he proposed a budget of RM1.3 million for the by-election but the figure was later cut to slightly more than RM1 million when he presented the proposal to Tengku Adnan in a meeting before the election.

According to Rizalman, Tengku Adnan had provided the money for the by-election on his own and he never took Umno money to fund the by-election.

Tengku Adnan was accused of receiving the RM2 million from Aset Kayamas at CIMB Bank's Pusat Bandar Damansara branch here, on June 14, 2016.

The offence, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, carries up to two years' imprisonment, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.