KUALA LUMPUR – It is unfair to only link Umno leaders to the “court cluster” as Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has also been ordered to enter his defence on graft charges, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
Ahmad, who is Umno secretary-general, said everyone is innocent until proven guilty in court and it is unfair to say that only his party’s leaders are linked to court cases.
“Such court cases are widespread, so don’t blame Umno leaders (only),” he told Free Malaysia Today in an interview.
He added that there were charges dropped against Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders when the coalition was in government.
He also said that those in the “court cluster” should be allowed to run in the coming 15th general election (GE15).
“We will wait patiently for all the (court case) decisions because they take time.”
Meanwhile, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi took a dig at Syed Saddiq yesterday, sarcastically welcoming the Muda co-founder to the “court cluster”.
“Surely Syed Saddiq will say that it is selective prosecution mounted by the (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin) government. Is he (Syed Saddiq) going to contest in GE15 or clear his name first?”
Muhyiddin led the Perikatan Nasional government for 17 months following the fall of the PH government in late February 2020.
The “court cluster” term is often used to refer to Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over their trials on charges of money-laundering and abuse of power, among others.
While Najib is currently serving time in prison, Zahid was acquitted last month of all 40 charges for receiving bribes and obtaining gratification for himself as home minister to extend the contract of a company operating a foreign visa system.
Zahid still has 47 charges involving criminal breach of trust, graft, and money laundering concerning funds belonging to charitable foundation, Yayasan Akalbudi. His trial is ongoing.
Ahmad himself was previously charged with money laundering and providing false statements in January 2020, and was later acquitted of the charges after agreeing to pay a RM1.1 million compound.
He was also charged with giving a false statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, before opting to pay the fine.
He was accused of receiving a sum of RM2 million from Najib, which was said to be from 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
Meanwhile, Syed Saddiq was ordered yesterday to enter his defence over four charges of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of funds, and money laundering, – The Vibes, October 29, 2022
