'I did not interfere in Zahid's DNAA decision' - Anwar

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that he was not involved in the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision on Monday to grant Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for all 47 graft charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

The Prime Minister said the Attorney-General had full powers to handle the case.

"The Attorney-General has the powers and the decision came with a reason. I have given the AG the full power to handle the case. I did not interfere,” he said during a meeting session, here yesterday.

A DNAA is requested when the prosecution feels that it has insufficient evidence to secure a conviction and a further investigation is warranted.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers had stood by the highly criticised decision to apply for a DNAA saying that the reasons presented before the High Court were deemed "cogent”.

Zahid was yesterday granted a DNAA on all 47 of his corruption, criminal breach of trust (CBT), and money laundering charges involving his foundation, Yayasan Akalbudi.

He was also charged with accepting bribes when he was the home minister between 2013 and 2018.

When asked if the decision would give his Unity Government a negative perception, Anwar said the decision would not undermine the credibility of the government and reiterated that he remains steadfast in tackling corruption.

Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah made the decision after listening to 11 reasons put forward by the Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, to stop the proceedings of the case.

Zahid had earlier sent a 200-page representation to the AGC for consideration to drop the charges.

The first letter of representation was submitted in January while the latest one with full data and new evidence was submitted to the AGC in February. - BERNAMA