Arrest, charges against me politically motivated, says Zahid

Alfian Z.M. Tahir Alfian Z.M. Tahir Updated 5 years ago · Published on 20 Oct 2018 6:43PM · 16 Comments

Forty-five charges were filed against Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, October 20, 2018.

AHMAD Zahid Hamidi has branded the charges and prosecution brought against him yesterday as “politically motivated”.

The Umno president said this when asked to describe how he felt about his arrest last Thursday and the 45 charges of corruption filed against him yesterday.

“It is politically motivated,” Zahid said in a text message to The Malaysian Insight today.

Yesterday, Zahid had outside the court vowed to fight the charges, and that because his partymen saw them as politically motivated, neither he nor his predecessor, Najib Razak, would not be suspended.

They said Zahid would continue to helm the party until his case was over.

The former deputy prime minister and home minister yesterday claimed trial to 45 counts of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering involving RM114.15 million.

Of the total, RM21.25 million was allegedly for kickbacks for approving projects related to the recruitment of foreign workers.

The sum involved in the 27 charges of money laundering was RM72.06 million, and included the purchase of two bungalow lots in Kajang worth RM5.9 million.

Most of the charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA) were for offences that took place between May 2016 and April this year in the form of bank deposits to a Maybank account.

The deposits were all made from an account belonging to law firm Lewis & Co Advocates & Solicitors, according to the charge sheets. 

Zahid also faces 10 counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM20.83 million belonging to the foundation Yayasan Akal Budi, which he chairs.

The former deputy prime minister also faces eight counts of corruption for abusing his power as home minister.

Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman had said yesterday the party would not suspend Najib or Zahid as the actions of the current administration against them appeared to be politically motivated.

Tajuddin said the charges against Najib and Zahid were not the same as those faced by some party members who were previously suspended after being charged in court.

The difference, he said, was that the charges against the other party members were not politically motivated. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said earlier today that the charges were not politically motivated and that no one in Malaysia was above the law. – October 20, 2018.

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Comments

  • No one should believe this liar.

    Posted 5 years ago by Will Be Humble · Reply

  • Let's see how he disproves all the deposits to his FD and personal accounts.

    Posted 5 years ago by Mo Hisham · Reply

  • Yeah, right !

    Posted 5 years ago by Yoon Fatt Ng · Reply

  • Well, we have to account for any misdeeds in life, either here or hereinafter?..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Amazing these umno buggers, corruption is so ingrained in them for so long, that they seem to believe that stealing money or accepting kickbacks is their God given right. That is not a crime for them. Its utterly disgusting that they dont hang their heads in shame and that even their members actually applaud them ...shame shame shame.

    Posted 5 years ago by Alphonz Jayaraman · Reply

  • The charges are a test of God as you put it, so please take it with grace, do not complain.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Halo datuk, your Yayasan doesn't even have a premise to operate..apa deh?

    Posted 5 years ago by Wen Chiuan Woo · Reply

  • Go to jail for life and smile all you can...another bugger Malaysia need to get rid.

    Posted 5 years ago by Will Be Humble · Reply

  • good excuse to hang on to the post....but this just delays the time when he will have to quit....khairy has a break now.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

  • Nothing to do with politically motivated
    What are you talking about...,
    It was you who went to see PH President & PM for advise and you are the one who committed major crimes and now when you are caught, you say politically motivated
    Whatever it is, you committed a major crime and if you are found guilty, you go directly to jail for the rest of your life..

    Posted 5 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • Hey Comedian !!!! you have no standing at all to mention that it is politically motivated charges. You are not even a leader or someone important for Malaysia to do without. You are just a low down common criminal and should be deported back to Indon as a haram pendatang who rob the Malaysian Rakyat. I think if you are in Indonesia you will be shot togather with the drug smuggler. mau cakap banyak. Tin kosong.!!!!! Korok betul!!!!. Goblok!!!!!!

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Sure.
    And Im Brad Pitts better looking twin.

    Posted 5 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • Zahid nothing is politically motivated. What u SOW now u REAP

    Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • Now people start realizing how important it was for PH to win the last general election - to get rid of all these buggers. Imagine if BN is still in power, how much more governtment money these buggers will bring in into their pocket. These two fathers of corruption will lead our country to bankruptcy. Just dont understand why PAS is supporting UMNO and cooperating with these corrupters. PAS should stand up to fight corruption. If PAS still cant see what UMNO leaders doing are wrong, this proves that PAS had also received Dedak from UMNO which keeps their mouth shut.

    Posted 5 years ago by Leng Kapri As Saribasi · Reply

  • MACC SHOULD INVESTIGATE PAS . Very Possible Chance PAS has taken CORRUPTION from UMNO n BN . Bcoz All Malaysians can see n hear clearly how PAS IS SUPPORTING UMNO

    Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • Brother today's world NO MONEY NO TALK

    Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply