UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s multimillion-ringgit corruption trial linked to his Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) organisation has been rescheduled to April.

Earlier, lead prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran told the court the prosecution and defence teams had agreed on the additional hearing dates.

High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then fixed the new dates for the trial.

The new dates are April 10 to 13, May 15 to 18, June 12 to 15, July 24 to 27, and August 1 to 3, 7 to 10, and 21 to 24.

Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, was present in court today.

Previously, Zahid’s trial was scheduled to be held from January 16 to 19.

The Umno president is facing multiple corruption charges involving RM31 millions in YAB funds.

Zahid’s counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik was also present.

On November 2 last year, Hisyam applied to the court to vacate the hearing date that month pending his client’s bid at the Court of Appeal.

Zahid had applied to obtain recorded statements of 15 Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission witnesses involved in his trial.

Zahid is accused of 47 counts of money laundering and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving millions of ringgit from YAB and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as home minister between 2013 and 2018.

Twelve of the charges are for CBT, eight are for corruption, and the rest are for money laundering. – January 16, 2023.