YOURSAY | 'How can Ahmad Zahid claim to be a defender of Islam with such charges against him?'

'Not a single sen from Yayasan Akalbudi's RM31m used to help poor'

The Third Man: This is just another tip of the iceberg. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must go all out and investigate all the Umno kleptocrats, state by state and division by division.

MACC must conduct a thorough check on their income, properties, businesses, cars, travel, etc. This must be done as soon as possible. I am very certain that the amount of these illegal, corrupt or stolen funds must be mind-boggling.

Remember a certain former prime minister whose worth is in the region of RM2 billion and currently being contested in court.

What the Pakatan Harapan government must realise is that the recovery of these funds, which were illegally obtained, will help them fund their development and education programmes such as student loans, grants, B40 (bottom 40 percent) housing, etc.

Anonymous #95676433: Welfare foundations which are set up to help the poor and needy normally follow strict regulations in order to qualify for tax exemption on their income.

They are required to use at least 50 percent of their income every year for charitable purposes.

Obviously, the law is being flouted here and the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) is not doing its job. In the interests of accountability and transparency, severe disciplinary action should be taken against the tax officers concerned.

Antilcct: Indeed, the IRB and MACC should be checking on all welfare foundations in the country.

There are multiple such foundations set up in every state nationwide to help the underprivileged, orphans and the needy.

Following this revelation, imagine how much money there is throughout the country which is meant for them but is robbed by politicians or business people.

Annonnymous 080: The 45 charges involving RM114 million against Umno leader Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are not only related to funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi but also those of him getting kickbacks for awarding contracts while he was home minister.

Ahmad Zahid was accused of receiving RM13 million from a company called Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services for the MyEG project under his former ministry. The money was allegedly paid to him so that he would help Mastoro Kenny to obtain MyEG projects.

He was also accused of receiving RM4.25 million from "someone" around the same time for the award of the MyEG project to a company.

Vijay47: Ahmad Zahid, do not be worried, I am convinced that even without the assistance of hot-shot lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the charges against you, at least the present ones if not all ‘239’, will not stick.

The prosecution has unfairly accused you of not having contributed “a single sen from Yayasan Akalbudi's RM31 million to help the poor” which merely reflects their poor grounding in English.

They do not seem to understand that in line with Muafakat Nasional, you made some donations to poor you. As everyone knows, charity begins at home and you simply made that home your home.

How true that saying “Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Some poor are surely not to be denied if their needs come up to RM31 million. But who’s counting.

In certain cases, theirs is the kingdom of Sungai Buloh as they will soon learn.

Anonymous 2485381503371480: Please speed up the trial proceedings. There is no need for long-winded storytelling. The sooner this alleged crook is locked away, the better it is for our country.

He said to have received a bribe of RM17 million and a further RM4.25 million as gratification, and had also received proceeds from the unlawful activity of RM65 million.

Mushiro: This is the worst kind of human beings. Those who use their position to steal money and then claim they are not aware. Yet, they are able to issue checks to buy expensive items for themselves or use this money to pay their credit card bills.

A lot of the money is actually meant for the poor. Unless these crooks who disguise themselves as dignified Malays are punished severely, there will not be any change among the Malay leaders.

Drngsc: He was the former deputy prime minister and now the current Umno president. This is disgraceful.

How can we tell the people in the Malay heartland that they should be living in proper homes, when this alleged conman, a fellow Malay, was charged for allegedly stealing their money and make them live in squalid conditions?

FlabberPro: Indeed, how can Ahmad Zahid claim to be a defender of Islam with such charges against him?

In the court of public opinion, he is a man who robs from the poor to enrich himself. Why does anyone still bother listening to him?

Anonymous 422521500127666: This is/was the culture among top Umno politicians. Slowly leaders down the line will also adopt the same culture on self-enrichment.

The people do not matter and of no concern at all. It is always about taking opportunity. This is what they are only good for.

Anonymouss: This is Malay dignity - corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering at their best.

The Malay political leaders are just out to hoodwink their own race. Race and religion are their formidable weapons of destruction to save their own skin and personal interest.

How many more skeletons are still in the closet?

3D Waffle: Where is University Malaya vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim? Where is the dignity he was talking about?

Politicians from his own race depriving orphans and disabled children of food, clothes, and proper education. Where is the dignity in that?

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