KUALA LUMPUR – In a jibe at Perikatan Nasional (PN), Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today claimed that a new “court cluster” will emerge from the coalition following graft allegations involving economic stimulus funds of RM90 billion.
The stimulus packages were disbursed under the PN government led by then-prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is the coalition’s chairman.
Zahid said Umno, which is now part of the unity government, will continue to demand that the right authorities investigate any allegations of wrongdoing by the previous administration.
“They often label us as the court cluster, later we will see that a new court cluster will emerge from them (PN).
“The latest development shows that there were arrests made regarding the alleged misappropriation of public funds of over RM90 billion. This is a good start.
“It is a clear signal of our commitment by the government to identify those who are responsible,’’ Zahid said to cheers and claps from thousands of Umno delegates at the party’s 2022 annual general assembly at World Trade Centre today.
The “court cluster” label has often been used on Umno which had several senior leaders, including Zahid, who are facing court cases for graft. Most notable among them is former Umno president and ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who faces a slew of criminal charges over the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal, and is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for one set of charges.
Following findings by Finance Ministry officials, it was alleged that the PN government under Muhyiddin could have misappropriated RM600 billion of public funds.
The figure involving public funds was later revised to RM92.5 billion by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after reviewing the breakdown of economic stimulus package funds. This is the sum now being investigated.
Muhyiddin has since said he is ready to be investigated by the proper authorities and vehemently denied that he had allegedly received kickbacks from these funds.
To date, the CEO of a private company has been arrested and is being probed for his role as a middleman. – The Vibes, January, 13, 2023
