KUALA LUMPUR – Was Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi referring to a new potential court cluster should Pakatan Harapan (PH) win the 15th general election (GE15)?
During his speech at the MIC Congress yesterday, Zahid said other Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders could suffer selective prosecution from PH’s would-be government – just as he and his predecessor, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, have endured.
“The election this time is the mother of all elections and if we fail, a worse fate awaits us compared to the results of GE14.
“I’m not the only one that will be charged, Tok Mat, you are on the waiting list,” he said, referring to Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and drawing laughter from the crowd.
Along with Zahid and Mohamad, BN’s top leaders were in full attendance at the MIC convention held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre.
Zahid quipped to MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran, MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and Umno veteran politician Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein not to take this issue lightly as they too are supposedly in the crosshairs of their political rivals.
“Tan Sri Vignes don’t laugh, you are also included and so is Datuk Seri Saravanan.
“(Wee) Ka Siong, they won’t forget you, you will be charged as well.
“Hisham, please don’t smile,” said Zahid in jest.
Zahid then rallied the crowd, stressing that BN must win big and decisively to prevent acts of selective prosecution by their political rivals.
The Bagan Datuk MP also recalled his humiliating experience of standing trial in two separate court cases and expressed frustration with being judged guilty in the court of public opinion.
“None of you ever experienced the feeling of sitting in the dock as an accused person. It is disgraceful, shameful.
“It is as if you are stripped naked right down to your underwear,” he said.
“The court of public opinion has judged me as if I was already guilty. God is great, and the truth eventually prevailed,” said Zahid.
He was referring to the Shah Alam High Court’s decision to free him of all 40 charges of corruption in connection with the foreign visa system case on September 23.
In his speech, Zahid, however, clarified that BN is not against the judiciary but intends to fight against selective prosecution that is politically motivated.
“We are not challenging the judicial system but we are fighting against these charges which are politically motivated, we are challenging selective prosecution as they have acted vindictively against Barisan Nasional leaders,” he said.
Zahid also assured that he will not act vindictively against any parties if BN were to assume federal power again. – The Vibes, October 11, 2022
