The Kuala Lumpur High Court has fixed six days next month to hear oral submissions in the corruption trial of former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said the proceedings would be held on Aug 5, 6, 9, 11, 13 and 24.
“The oral submission at the close of the prosecution’s case will be done in open court,” Hisyam told FMT after the prosecution and defence obtained further directions from trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah today.
The court in March had fixed June 28 to July 2 to hear submissions after parties filed their written submissions on May 28.
Proceedings were disrupted and physical hearings were stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing lockdown.
cZahid, who is Umno president and Bagan Datuk MP, is facing trial over 12 criminal breach of trust, eight corruption and 27 money laundering charges involving RM117 million belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
On March 19, the prosecution concluded its case after calling 99 witnesses to testify.
The trial began on Nov 18, 2019, and the case was heard over 53 days.
In this trial, Zahid pleaded not guilty to 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42.18 million) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as the home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of a one-stop centre in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the ministry.
The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
The offence can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same Act, which provides a maximum of 20 years in jail and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher upon conviction.
Let’s get straight to the point. Zahid Hamidi is a desperate drowning man clutching at straws and Anwar Ibrahim is promising to throw him a lifeline in the form of a flimsy life-jacket filled with holes. Zahid is making trouble to save his own skin while the rest of the nation is trying to deal with a pandemic that isn’t letting up.
Zahid doesn’t care about noble ideals or saving the nation. Seriously. You know it and I know it and now let me put it to you point by point. All that shit about ultimatums to convene Parliament (which is now moot because Parliament will be convened as announced by the PMO) and SDs are just excuses to blur the lines, muddy the waters, buy time, threaten Muhyiddin and ultimately bring down the Government.
Zahid is freaking out and running around frantically like a headless chicken flapping his wings because in less than a month, he will be in court. Yes, in open court, my friends, on the 5th of August when all his misdeeds will be read out in a litany of mind-boggling charges ranging from 12 criminal breach of trust, 8 corruption charges and 27 money laundering charges involving a whopping RM117 million belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi. Lawyers call this an open-and-shut case.
The prosecution will present incontrovertible evidence and lay out the dirty details piece by salacious piece and the media will have a field day covering the proceedings minute by minute. You will get to read about every sordid and despicable financial transfer Zahid was personally involved in and before the end of the day, you will more than likely agree with the prosecution lawyers too that Zahid is finished. And Zahid doesn’t want this. Zahid also doesn’t want to go to jail.
Zahid tried to get the PM, Muhyiddin Yassin, to “do something” but Muhyiddin replied, “If you are innocent, then bring it to open court and let the court decide lah. You’ll have nothing to worry if you’re innocent.” That pissed Zahid off immensely. The man some of you call Backdoor PM lah, corrupted lah, crooked lah, macam macam lah was the very same principled man who refused to entertain Zahid’s pleas to “do something” simply because Muhyiddin knew this was a GMJ case. Muhyiddin did not and still does not want to thwart the course of justice nor oppose the Rule of Law. You have got to give this to Muhyiddin.
So what other option has Zahid got? Enter your Saint Anwar ‘The Clean’ Ibrahim. Anwar cut a deal with Zahid: ”Bring me enough UMNO MPs to form the Government and I’ll “do something” for you. You make me PM and I’ll pull you out of the hot soup.”
So, dear Reader, the only reason Zahid is trying to topple the PN Government is to help his ‘cikgu’ Anwar Ibrahim become Prime Minister so that Anwar can ”do something”: either delay these charges or drop them altogether. Yes, your Saint Anwar Ibrahim. The same fella who cried wolf in the Istana and declares REFORMASI to those poor fools who will still listen to his drivel. The same Anwar whom many of you tout as the saviour of the country who will bring reform and clean up the system because he is so clean. My ass is cleaner! Thwart the course of justice? Oppose Rule of Law? Sure, janji saya jadi PM.
