KUALA LUMPUR: Former Federal Territories minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (pic) became emotional after the High Court rejected his application for details of his asset declarations to be heard in-camera.

On trial to a charge of accepting RM2mil from businessman Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong, the Putrajaya MP had an emotional outburst when deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim asked him during cross-examination whether a sentence in his witness statement was his personal opinion.

“When I say I do not want to declare myself, it is because publicly you know why.

“Now I have a problem. After I mentioned nearly a billion (assets), they will want to sensationalise it. That’s why I feel deprived, ” he said in a voice choked with emotion.

The former Umno secretary-general’s counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan interjected, asking for a stand-down to calm him down.

Earlier, Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, in delivering his decision on the declaration of assets, ruled that for the trial to be conducted fairly, it must be done transparently and the public therefore had the right to see and hear what the court saw and heard.

“This way, the public will be able to appreciate any decision made by the court and not be kept guessing about any evidence kept secret, ” he said.

He added that Tengku Adnan, 69, had failed to convince the court that it would be in the interest of justice or show sufficient reason for his application to be granted.

While acknowledging Tengku Adnan’s fears for his family’s safety should the details of his wealth be made known publicly, Justice Mohamed Zaini said it would be contrary to the interest of justice to grant the application.

“The trial must not only be conducted fairly, but must be seen to be conducted fairly, ” the judge added.

The trial then continued with Tan’s examination-in-chief of Tengku Adnan, who told the court that he had declared his assets during his tenure in the Cabinet since 2001 to three prime ministers: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

To further questioning by Tan regarding his total assets declared to Dr Mahathir in 2001, Tengku Adnan said: “I think it is over RM900mil.”

Asked by Tan whether the figure was RM938,643,566.16, Tengku Adnan answered in the affirmative.

He also confirmed that he had declared his assets amounting to RM711,325,822 to Abdullah in 2006, along with RM691,770,649 and RM782,748,061 to Najib in 2013 and 2016 respectively.

On Oct 14 last year, the High Court ordered Tengku Adnan to enter his defence after finding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.

Tengku Adnan was charged in his capacity as a public servant then, namely as Federal Territories Minister, to having accepted for himself RM2mil from Chai via a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd, which was later deposited into the CIMB account of Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd, in which he had an interest, when it was known that Aset Kayamas had a connection with his official duties.

Tengku Adnan is alleged to have committed the offence at the Pusat Bandar Damansara branch of CIMB Bank here on June 14,2016.

He was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of jail of up to two years or a fine, or both, if convicted.

The hearing continues today. — Bernama