THE High Court will decide on September 23 whether to free or order former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to enter his defence on the 40 charges of receiving bribes in connection with the Foreign Visa System (VLN). 

High Court Judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa set the date today after hearing the submissions by both parties at the end of the prosecution’s case. 

The judge also thanked the prosecution and the defence for their oral submissions.  

The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutors Raja Rozela Raja Toran, Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Abdul Malik Ayob, Zander Lim Wai Keong and B. Thavani , while Zahid was represented by lawyers Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, and Hamidi Mohd Noh. 

The prosecution closed its case on August 11 after calling 18 witnesses, including former Home Ministry secretary-general Alwi Ibrahim and three former Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) directors Harry Lee Vui Khiun, Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, and David Tan Siong Sun.  

Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to SG$13.56 million (RM43.39 million) from UKSB for himself as Home Minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of OSC service in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain the contract agreement to supply the VLN integrated system to the same company by the Home Ministry. 

On another seven counts, he was charged with obtaining for himself SG$1,150,000, RM3 million, CH₣15,000, and US$15,000 from the same company, which has official links with his official duty. 

He was charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018. – Bernama, September 7, 2022.