THE Prime Minister’s Office has denied speculation political leaders were scheduled to meet and discuss the formation of the new cabinet today, hours after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamid asked for his corruption trial to be postponed for this purpose.

The PMO said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was only meeting the Chief Secretary to the Government and senior civil servants in the ministries to discuss the running of the government.

“The Prime Minister’s Office wishes to clarify that there is no meeting of political leaders scheduled today,” the statement said.

Apart from civil servants, the Muhyiddin is scheduled to see Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador at 4.30pm and Armed Forces Chief General Affendi Buang an hour later.

Later Zahid in a press statement said he wanted to clear his name in court amid allegations he has struck a deal for corruption cases against him and other Umno members to be dropped in exchange for supporting Muhyiddin in his bid for prime minister.

He said his criminal trial involving millions of ringgit of Yayasan Akalbudi funds is postponed for today and had not been dropped like the other cases, but he did not say what the other cases were.

“God willing, I will clear my name in court without the case being dropped.

“I want the court to give a verdict even though this case is political and selective prosecution,” he said in a statement today.

Zahid, 67, is accused of receiving bribes for approving passport chip supply contracts to several private firms. He faces 47 criminal charges, including 27 counts of money-laundering.

Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, was installed as the country’s eighth prime minister yesterday after forming an alliance with Umno, PAS and a breakaway PKR faction led by its former deputy president, Mohamed Azmin Ali. – March 2, 2020.