THE decision to withdraw the corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and grant him a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) was the Attorney-General’s (AG) decision, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told parliament. 

Anwar denied he had interfered in the decision made by the AG. 

He said he only requested the AG to clarify the reasons behind the DNAA given to Zahid.

“When the AG made the ruling, I asked him why the discharge was given.  

“There was no discussion before that with the AG.

“The AG then provided 11 reasons for the charges to be dropped,” he told the chamber, replying to the points raised during the mid-term review of the 12th Malaysia plan.

Anwar said any DNAA or DAA (discharge amounting to an acquittal) is upon the discretion of the AG under Article 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution.

He said former AG Idrus Harun decided to go ahead with Zahid’s DNAA.

“He said he had to grant it due to some reasons. I asked if it could be delayed. He said no. 

“He said it is my duty, my conscience, I have to do it before I leave,” Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat. 

“I know that many people are unhappy (with Zahid’s DNAA), that’s their right to be displeased. I sympathise with the current AG (Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh) who has to address the matter when the decision was made by the AG appointed by Pagoh (Muhyiddin),” Anwar said.

He also said there was nothing peculiar in the AG granting Zahid the DNAA, stating there were substantial precedents in the past.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said such a precedent occurred during the previous administration, when the administration was led by Perikatan Nasional (PN), involving the public prosecutor against Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong in 2019.

In addition, he said, a precedent involving the DNAA order was also recorded for the case of the deputy public prosecutor (DPP) (vs) Long Samat in 1974, DPP vs Johnson Tan Han Seng (1977), DPP vs Zainuddin and Anor (1986) and Karpal Sing and Anor vs DPP (1991). – September 19, 2023.