Penang Umno will continue to support Zahid

GEORGETOWN - Penang Umno described Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as a victim of selective prosecution when he was accused in court on 47 charges of breach of trust, corruption and money laundering (AMLA) involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

Following that, the Penang Umno said that they would continue to support Zahid as its president and Barisan Nasional chairman.

Penang Umno chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir expressed gratitude for the court's decision against Zahid on Monday.

"Penang Umno expresses its gratitude with the news report regarding Zahid, who was released without being acquitted of 47 AMLA charges involving the Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

"For us, the action of the prosecution asking for the proceedings to be stopped is in line with the provisions of Article 145 of the Federal Constitution and Section 254 of the Code of Criminal Procedure," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Musa said that based on the 11 reasons presented by the prosecution against Zahid, the matter should teach everyone a lesson.

"At this moment, it is necessary for all national justice institutions to be put back on the right footing without the political interference of certain parties so that selective prosecution like the one imposed on Zahid does not repeat to any other party.

"This is for the survival of the Madani government in its efforts to reform institutions so that the Constitution and the spirit of justice in the mandatory institutions in this country continue to be upheld," he said.

Yesterday, the High Court discharged not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from all 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering in relation to Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah made the ruling after allowing Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar’s application to DNAA Ahmad Zahid after the prosecution decided to halt the case as they wanted to investigate the case more in depth.

Zahid was charged with 47 charges of eight bribery, 12 breach of trust and 27 money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.