Release reasons for Zahid's acquittal, opposition MP tells Shah Alam court
SHAH ALAM - An opposition MP has urged Shah Alam High Court judge to release the reasons for Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's to be freed of corruption charges for the public to read.
PKR's Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said this is because Zahid was prosecuted under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and it is a case of public interest.
"Secondly, if Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and four federal court judges on the same day successfully presented their judgment in writing for the public to read in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's corruption case linked to SRC International, then it is appropriate for the High Court judge to do the same for Zahid's case," he said in a statement.
Hassan also hopes the public prosecutor will file the case to the Court of Appeal even though Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun said Zahid's case needs to be scrutinised further before an appeal is submitted.
Earlier today, the Umno President was acquitted and discharged 40 corruption charges linked to the Foreign Visa System.
Judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa said this after finding the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case at the end of the prosecution against the former deputy prime minister.
Hassan, the Pasir Gudang MP further asked the public to respect Shah Alam High Court's decision to free Zahid from 40 charges of corruption today.
He said the same respect has to be given when former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor were found guilty and sentenced to prison.
"We should apply the same on Zahid's case.We have to give the same respect to Shah Alam High Court's judge decision even though we are not happy," he said in a statement today.
Zahid was charged with 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to SG$13.56 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) as the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre (OSC) service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain its contract agreement with the Home Ministry for the supply of the VLN integrated system.
On another seven counts, the Bagan Datuk MP was charged with obtaining for himself SG$1,150,000, RM3.125 million, 15,000 Swiss Franc and US$15,000 from the same company which he knew had links with his official function.
He was charged with committing the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.
