UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has applied for a stay in his ongoing corruption trial pending an appeal in May to obtain statements from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Zahid filed the application last week, while his appeal for the MACC statements is now before the Court of Appeal.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court had on May 9 dismissed his application to obtain statements recorded by the MACC from witnesses, on grounds of public policy and public interest.

The Bagan Datuk MP had said that without the documents, he would be denied a fair trial.

At a case management this morning for Zahid’s stay application, the prosecution said it would object it.

High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah fixed July 7 as the hearing date for the application.

Zahid faces 12 counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM31 million, eight corruption charges involving RM21.25 million, and 27 money-laundering charges involving RM65 million. The money belonged to Yayasan Akalbudi, a charity foundation headed by the former deputy prime minister.

If convicted, Zahid could be jailed for up to 20 years.

On January 24, judge Sequerah, who is presiding over the case, ordered Zahid to enter his defence on all 47 charges. – June 27, 2022.