Zahid's case should not be used as DPM appointment issue

PUTRAJAYA - The case against Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should not be made into an issue over his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim insisted that Zahid has not been proven guilty by any court.

"He was charged with a number of offences but it has yet to be proven and this needs to be respected," he said.

He was commenting on criticisms on his leadership following the appointment of Zahid as the second person in the unity government cabinet.

Anwar said Zahid was appointed to the post because the latter was Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman which were part of the unity government.

"It is their right to dispute,” he said in a press conference after the first cabinet meeting on Monday.

Present at the meeting were Zahid, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, among others.

He said those who had criticised Zahid’s appointment should be clean and free from any wrongdoing.

"I am concerned, all these years, they were shouting about corruption, but took projects worth hundreds of millions.

"That's why I was willing to declare my assets during the campaign and I wanted others including the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman to do the same, to declare assets in Malaysia, Australia and some other countries, but there was no answer," he said.

Zahid, 69, is facing 47 charges, 12 of which were for criminal breach of trust, eight corruption counts and 27 counts of money laundering involving millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

The trial resumes on Jan 16, next year.