PROSECUTORS have applied to the high court to cite Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for contempt after allegedly lying about having to meet Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today to discuss the formation of a new cabinet.

However, the Umno president, who was made to appear again at the Kuala Lumpur High Court this afternoon to explain himself, said he received a letter from PMO inviting him to discuss cabinet appointments.

The Umno president instead said he met Muhyiddin’s political secretary, who was unnamed, at 12.45pm today as the prime minister had already departed for Muar, Johor by then.

“I have my minutes (of the meeting with the political secretary) and here is a list of BN (Barisan Nasional) MPs that are to be submitted as candidates (for ministerial positions),” Zahid said as he stood in the accused dock.

“Normally a political party has to negotiate for positions in the cabinet lineup, but I would not like to share them with the reporters here as it is not for public consumption.

“This is P&C (private and confidential). These are (regarding) the discussions that have taken place in PMO,” he added.

Presiding judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then said he will decide on a ruling tomorrow after receiving the said PMO letter, which was not produced in court this afternoon.

“In light of the letter to be produced, I will suspend my decision,” he said.  

A hearing for Zahid’s graft trial involving Yayasan Akalbudi was vacated this morning after lawyers representing the Umno president said his presence was required in Putrajaya to discuss a new cabinet line-up with the prime minister

The Prime Minister’s Office however, released a statement hours later denying Muhyiddin met political leaders today, adding that his meeting schedule only involved the chief secretary to the government and senior civil servants.

This afternoon, defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said it was not his intention to “mislead or deceive” the court of the meeting.

“Perhaps there was a wrong choice of words,” he said, adding that Muhyiddin had already left for Muar when Zahid arrived at Putrajaya.

Deputy public prosecutor Rozela Raja Toran retorted: “The application made this morning was that an adjournment was needed. The fact is that what was said was that the accused is involved in the negotiations for a new cabinet.

“My Lord, we just found out from the PMO’s announcement, in the papers, that there was never a meeting with the prime minister.

“That, My Lord, is reason enough for the court to move for contempt proceeding because the accused person has lied blatantly in court. He has intentionally misled this court into giving him a day off.

“My Lord, a false statement made by an accused person is contempt. I humbly seek your Lordship to apply, at your discretion, under Order 52 of the Rules of Court.

“This is unacceptable. We have been made to look like fools. We took the defence’s word, my learned friends’ word, in good faith and this is what we get.”

When Hisyam said the defence can reproduce the minutes of today’s meeting with the political secretary, Rozela responded: “I urge the court not to accept the minutes of the meeting.

“We want a confirmation letter, or some kind of document from the PM’s office. Those notes can be done before he comes into court.

“I urged your Lordship to take this with a pinch of salt, of what the accused is saying, because he has lied before and he will lie again. This is unacceptable, My Lord.

Hisyam responded: “There must be an element of intent to mislead the court and there is none in this case.”

Defence co-counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh, who first mentioned a cabinet line-up meeting this morning to the court, said: “I’m the one who used the wrong words. If anyone is to blame I am the one.”

Rozela responded by saying the contempt charge application was meant for Zahid, and not his lawyers. – March 2, 2020.