Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's new Indonesian in-law has ticked off the deputy prime minister’s critics.

"Don't slander my in-law. Those who utter this heinous slander to my in-law, Zahid, I pray to Allah that their cardinal sin is forgiven," Chairul Anhar said in a statement today.

The Indonesian businessman ( photo ), who bears the honorific title ‘Datuk Seri’, is the father to Zahid's new daughter in-law.

The newlyweds held their reception at the Ritz Carlton in Jakarta on Aug 19, when Zahid was on his official visit to Indonesia.

The wedding landed in the limelight when Umno blogger Shahbudin Husin questioned the timing of the trip.

However, instead of the trip coinciding with the wedding, Chairul said it was actually the other way around.

"We the bride's family were forced to follow his (Zahid's) schedule because as Malaysia's deputy prime minister, Zahid is very busy with national duties and he did not want to take special leave for the reception," he said.

Chairul also said he paid for the whole ceremony, corroborating Zahid's remarks that he did not pay a single sen for the wedding.

Chairul ended his statement hoping that the union between his daughter and Zahid's son would benefit Indonesia and Malaysia.