Zahid’s discharge: PM leaves it to AG’s authority

JAKARTA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said that he could only leave it to the attorney-general’s (AG) authority in the matter of the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) of Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over graft-related charges.

He said that the AG has full discretionary powers in such matters and had given his reasons.

“So I leave it to the attorney-general's authority,” he said, adding that the AG had discussed the 200-odd pages filed by Zahid in his new application to have the charges against him dropped.

“This is the decision of the attorney-general. I do not interfere,” he told reporters after the ‘Temu Anwar’ event where he addressed Malaysians in Indonesia at the Red Top Hotel here last night.

Zahid, 70, had sent the 200-page letter of representation to Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun as a basis for consideration for the charges against him to be dropped.

The first letter of representation was submitted in January while the latest, with facts and new evidence, was sent to the AG's Chambers in February.

The representation was also accompanied by a letter dated February 20 from MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, who informed the agency to carry out further investigations into the new facts and evidence presented by the defence.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court had on September 4 decided to grant the DNAA to Zahid on all 47 of his corruption, criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering charges in his Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) case.

Idris’ contract as AG reportedly expired yesterday.

Anwar also noted that a document from the AG had gotten leaked. It purportedly reflected the AG’s stance to oppose the charges at an early stage of the case, he said.

Zahid, 70, who is deputy prime minister, faced 12 charges on criminal breach of trust, eight on corruption and 27 on money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB. – The Vibes, September 6, 2023