AS FEARED, ANWAR COPS OUT – GOOD PAL & POLITICAL SAVIOUR ZAHID GETS DISCHARGED (DNAA) FROM AKALBUDI CORRUPTION CHARGES – SO WHAT NEXT? NAJIB TO GET ROYAL PARDON ON THE LAME EXCUSE THE SAME WAS GIVEN TO THAILAND’S THAKSIN? – EVEN MAHATHIR NOT AFRAID TO CONTINUE SPEWING RACIAL POISON DESPITE BEING HAULED UP BY COPS 9 TIMES – BECAUSE NOTHING HAPPENS IN ‘TIN KOSONG’ LAND – SO WERE CRITICS WRONG TO LABEL ANWAR ‘EMPTY VESSEL’ OR ‘TIN KOSONG’??!
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) of the corruption case involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning granted the DNAA sought by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar.
DNAA opens the possibility of Zahid being recharged in the future if prosecutors wish to revisit the matter.
Zahid’s counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik however had sought for a full acquittal.
On Dec 8 last year and Jan 25 this year, the defence team sent letters of representation to Attorney-General Idrus Harun to seek a review of the graft case.
Under the law, a letter of representation is a method for the accused to seek prosecutors to review the criminal case against him or her, such as dropping the charges or for the accused to plead guilty to a lesser charge.
Outgoing Idrus is currently on leave, with Solicitor-General Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh set to take over as attorney-general on Wednesday this week.
Prima facie case
Why DNAA?
He has been called to his defence.
What further investigations?As we seek answers to this bizarre twist, perhaps the political answer is already obvious..
So much for fighting rasuah eh?https://t.co/HvRf0rKEWM— Cynthia Gabriel (@cynthia_gabriel) September 4, 2023
Sequerah had ruled that the prosecution succeeded in establishing prima facie (answerable case) against Zahid over 12 charges for criminal breach of trust (CBT) under Section 409 of the Penal Code; eight charges under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009; and 27 charges under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
For the CBT charges, Zahid was accused of using the funds to make six payments for his personal credit cards usage, insurance policy and licences for his personal vehicles, remittances to a law firm, and contributions to the Royal Malaysia Police Football Association.
The offences were allegedly perpetrated at an Affin Bank Berhad branch in Jalan Bunus off Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur, between Jan 13, 2014, and Dec 23, 2016.
Under Section 409 of the Penal Code, CBT offences are punishable with a maximum jail term of 20 years, as well as whipping, and fine.
In relation to the eight bribery charges, Zahid was purported to have accepted bribes from three firms – Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, Datasonic Group Bhd and Profound Radiance Sdn Bhd – as inducement for him in his then capacity as home minister to help the companies to secure MyEG projects, supply passport chips, and to be appointed the operator of the migrant visa one-stop centres in Pakistan and Nepal, respectively.
Laid under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009, the offences were allegedly committed at a Maybank branch at Dataran Maybank, in Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, between July 15, 2016, and March 15, 2018.
On the 27 money laundering charges, the Bagan Datuk MP was alleged to have engaged in direct transactions involving income from illegal activities between March 29, 2016, and April 11, 2018.
The offences were purportedly committed at Malayan Banking Berhad, Dataran Maybank branch, Level 1, Tower A, No 1 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar and Marhaba Enterprise Sdn Bhd, LG 1.15, Fahrenheit88, 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, between March 29, 2016, and April 11, 2018.
VLN appeal pending
During the prosecution stage of the trial that began on Nov 18, 2019, and wrapped up in March 2021, 99 witnesses were called to testify – including Zahid’s former special officer Wan Ahmad Wan Omar as well as the accused’s former executive secretary Major Mazlina Mazlan@Ramly.
Other notable witnesses that took the stand for the prosecution were B Muralidharan, a partner of legal firm Lewis & Co, and money changer Omar Ali Abdullah.
In September last year, the Shah Alam High Court acquitted Zahid over a separate corruption case linked to the Foreign Visa System (VLN).
However, the prosecution has a pending appeal at the Court of Appeal to reverse the VLN case verdict. MKINI
Probed 9 times but Dr M says it won’t stop him speaking on 3R
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad asserted that he will continue to speak out on issues pertaining to race, religion, and royalty (3R) despite knowing that the police will launch investigations against him.
Mahathir was quoted by Berita Harian as saying that the police had called him in nine times to have his statement recorded regarding the 3R issues.
“If they want to investigate, so be it… I have been called in nine times. After this, it’d be the 10th, 11th (time)…
“But it’s okay, we will count how many times I have been called,” he was quoted as saying in Perikatan Nasional’s mega ceramah for the Simpang Jeram by-election at the Bakri PAS headquarters in Johor last night.
The two-time premier was also quoted by the Malay daily as reiterating his claims that the current government’s ban on 3R issues is unconstitutional.
He said he had read the Federal Constitution multiple times to find out if Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim could make such laws, insisting that only the Dewan Rakyat can do so.
“He (Anwar) wants to shut our mouths for speaking on 3R issues, what is his right? But I know he can instruct the police to question me.
“I want to speak for my race, I don’t want my race to lose its country.
“I know what I say here will be recorded by certain quarters… I will get called (by the police) again. If you were to ask why I speak this way, my answer is simple. If I am wrong, charge me in court and then I can answer in court.
“However, they said there are laws which allow them to arrest me but there is no need to bring me to court,” he alleged.
Selective enforcement
On Aug 18, the 98-year-old was called in by the police to give a statement over his comments about the non-Malay communities in the country.
On the same day, he accused the government and the police of selective enforcement for the investigation into his remarks.
He claimed that the police questioning was an attempt to threaten and silence him from talking about problems experienced by the Malays and from repeating his claim that “Malaysia is a Malay country” (Malaysia sebagai Tanah Melayu).
On Aug 29, his statement was once again recorded by the police to assist in the investigation regarding disparaging remarks made against the royal institution as published by a news portal on June 6. MKINI
Powerful new roles seen for deposed Najib and Thaksin
The two former prime ministers, both now imprisoned, may have pivotal roles to play in ensuring the political stability of their nations.
The dramatic return of Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his imprisonment on charges of corruption occurred almost one year to the day that Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak became an inmate at Kajang prison, near Kuala Lumpur.
Destiny from opportunity
It now appears that destiny (or opportunity) may enable both ex-prime ministers to play a major role in their respective national political environments some time in the near future.
There is much speculation that deals have been done in both cases.
On Thaksin’s part, the conjecture goes that he will spend a symbolic period in prison (or prison hospital) and then be given a full pardon by Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
On Najib’s part, many speculated he was part of some form of deal when the “unity government” was created, after the November 2022 general election. However, there are doubts. Najib is languishing in prison until there is some opportune purpose for him to fulfil. Public pressure also wants to see Najib spend a good percentage of his 12-year jail sentence.
Consequently, the release of both Thaksin and Najib appears to be related to public optics.
Thaksin’s position is clearer. He may be released soon, as many Thais support him, and it is clear the establishment has clearly accepted his return and the fact he will play some future political role.
Najib’s case is much more complex. There seems to be either setbacks or changes in opinion about his release by those with the power to pardon him. Although Najib was acquitted in April of audit tampering, his attempt to suspend the ongoing 1MDB trial was dismissed by the court.
Prior legacies needed now
Both prime ministers did leave legacies from their previous time in office.
Thaksin was prime minister from 2001, and was ousted in a military coup in 2006. Thaksin did a lot to eliminate poverty in rural Thailand, through grassroots community development. The Thaksin government managed well fiscally, paying off loans taken from the IMF during the Asian financial crisis in 1997.
Najib was prime minister from 2009, where he was defeated in the 2018 general election by the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Ironically, Najib can be considered a mild reformer in government. Najib assisted the poor through handouts, initiated some economic liberalisation, and tried to transform the civil service. This is more than any other prime minister has done in the last five years.
Thaksin’s role could be very important as the Pheu Thai party is in an uncomfortable coalition with establishment parties Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharath, and the United Thai Nation Party. Someone needs to hold this fragile coalition together. The ultimate survival of this government will depend upon maintaining a good working relationship between civilian politicians, the monarchy, and the military.
Someone must also appease disappointed “red shirts” and the youth who supported Move Forward. These groups feel they have been betrayed. Only Thaksin might be able to deal with this.
Thaksin may play this pivotal role from a platform like the Privy Council, which would give him statesmanlike stature similar to former prime minister Prem Tinsulanonda, who died in 2019.
Umno and Pakatan Harapan
For Najib, it appears he is being kept in cold storage. Umno’s poor performance at the recent six state assembly elections has opened up discussion about the future leadership of the party.
The fate of Umno, and Anwar Ibrahim’s PH coalition will depend upon winning over the Malay vote in the next general elections. Thus, if Umno can’t do the job, PH will also fall from the government.
This is leading to conjecture that Najib might be one of the few people who could bring Umno back from the dead, and re-establish the party as a contender in the Malay heartlands.
However, many feel the time is still premature. The opportune window might be when the position of king is rotated at the end of this year.
Such a move may steady up the chances of the unity government surviving the next general election. The results of the coming by-elections in Johor in a couple of weeks may influence this. Releasing Najib is a price the leadership may be willing to pay.
If these scenarios occur, Najib like Thaksin would play an important political role in Malaysia. He would become the elder statesman that keeps the unity coalition together, keeping it as a credible alternative to Perikatan Nasional.
There is also talk that Najib may play an economic advisory role to a government that has lost its way with economic policy.
Both Thaksin and Najib are set for future roles in their respective countries. Anything can happen in these politically volatile political environments, in Malaysia and in Thailand. However, the above scenarios are looking a strong possibility. FMT
MKINI / FREE MALAYSIA TODAY
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