Why did Ahmad Zahid not keep written donation records?

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Ahmad Zahid Claimed Trust in Verbal Agreements and Law Firm Handled Donations

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated that he did not personally maintain written records of donors and their contributions to Yayasan Akalbudi because he verbally instructed the law firm Lewis & Co to act as trustee and manage the funds. He asserted that the donations, amounting to millions of ringgit, were intended for charitable purposes, and he trusted the donors' intentions, the verbal agreement, and the professional handling of the funds by Lewis & Co and its partner, Muralidharan Balan Pillai.
Reliance on Law Firm for Fund Management

Ahmad Zahid testified that he directed donors to issue cheques payable to Lewis & Co's client account, where the funds were held on behalf of Yayasan Akalbudi. He confirmed that the specifics of these donations, including donor names and amounts, could only be identified through a ledger maintained by Lewis & Co and associated bank-in slips. He agreed that without the law firm, its partner, and the ledger, he personally could not ascertain the identities of the donors.
Denial of Intentional Omission and Illegal Funds

He explicitly disagreed with suggestions that he deliberately avoided keeping written records because the funds were not owned by the government or citizens, but by Yayasan Akalbudi, which he founded. Furthermore, Ahmad Zahid strongly denied that the received funds constituted proceeds from illegal activities as defined by Act 613, the anti-money laundering law. He rejected claims that he used Lewis & Co's client account for laundering illegal funds or that his actions were solely for personal interests.
Establishment and Operations of Yayasan Akalbudi

Yayasan Akalbudi was established with the objective of eradicating poverty and improving the welfare of the poor. Ahmad Zahid served as a trustee and was the sole signatory for cheques issued by the foundation. In June 2016, RM17.9 million of Yayasan Akalbudi's funds were transferred to Lewis & Co's client account on Ahmad Zahid's instructions, as he preferred the law firm to manage the funds instead of his executive secretary. Between May 2016 and April 2018, Lewis & Co's client account reportedly received over RM76 million through 92 cheques and banker's cheques.

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Why did Ahmad Zahid not keep written donation records?

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