Zahid says no deal to drop criminal cases against Umno leaders
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi denied claims that his party had struck a deal for all criminal charges against its leaders to be dropped in exchange for bolstering the new government led by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who was yesterday sworn in as prime minister.
"No, all that is not true," he told Malaysiakini in a text message.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi denied claims that his party had struck a deal for all criminal charges against its leaders to be dropped in exchange for bolstering the new government led by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who was yesterday sworn in as prime minister.
"No, all that is not true," he told Malaysiakini in a text message.
Asked to clarify if this means all the corruption cases against Umno leaders will continue until its conclusion, Zahid maintains his case was fabricated.
"In my case, all my cases are fabricated," he says, but did not address the cases of other Umno leaders.
Former prime minister and Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad had warned that Muhyiddin's decision to work with Umno will put the slew of corruption charges against Umno leaders in doubt.
Mahathir had said he was only willing to accept Umno members as individuals, instead of the party en bloc as some of its leaders are corrupt.
Muhyiddin had outmanoeuvred Mahathir, who had been insistent against working with Umno en bloc, by rallying most of Bersatu's MPs to his side and also bolstering his new coalition with PKR defectors, BN, PAS and GPS.
Mahathir had last Monday resigned as prime minister after the Harapan government lost its majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Umno leaders including Najib Abdul Razak, Bung Moktar Radin, Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Mohd Isa Abdul Samad and several others have been charged with corruption. Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor is also facing a graft trial.
The cases were initiated when Mahathir was prime minister after he led Pakatan Harapan to victory in the 2018 general election.
In a statement later, Zahid said he is determined to clear his name in court.
"God willing, I will clear my name in court without the case having to be dropped.
"I want the court to decide even though the case is a political and selective prosecution," he said.
