Muda hits back at Johor Umno for opposing Zahid re-indictment drive

Muda has hit back at Johor Umno leaders who criticised the #DakwaSemulaZahid campaign, dismissing claims that the initiative undermines public confidence in the judiciary.

The party’s communications bureau deputy chief, Rasid Abu Bakar, stressed that the campaign to reinstate corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was rooted in legal principles, not politics.

“The judge has already ruled that there is a prima facie case against Zahid.

“However, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) chose to apply for a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) - a temporary release that allows the case to be reopened.

“Equating a DNAA with a full acquittal is legally wrong and misleading to the public,” Rasid said in a statement today.

He added that Malaysians have every right to question why a sitting deputy prime minister was granted a DNAA while ordinary citizens are compelled to undergo full trials.

“The #DakwaSemulaZahid demand is about transparency, judicial integrity, and equality before the law. This is not about politics, but about justice,” he said.

Re-indictment campaign

Yesterday, Muda announced the campaign against Zahid, demanding that the AGC reopen the Yayasan Akalbudi cases.

The party’s acting president, Puteri Wangsa assemblyperson Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz, said the campaign is important as people have the right to know the truth, and that Malaysians want to know “how people in government can get away with it”.

However, two Johor Umno leaders strongly rejected Muda’s move, with Johor Umno information chief Israk Abdullah warning that the youth party risks “eroding public confidence in the country’s judiciary”.

Johor Umno Youth deputy chief Aswad Ithnain, meanwhile, accused Muda of practising double standards by demanding Zahid’s case be reopened whilst remaining silent over legal proceedings involving their own former president, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Syed Saddiq was found guilty of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation, and money laundering involving RM1.2 million of Bersatu Youth’s funds in 2023.

However, the Court of Appeal on June 25 this year acquitted the Muar MP of all charges. The Attorney-General’s Chambers filed an appeal at the Federal Court the next day.

‘Umno values loyalty over justice?’

Rasid further accused the Johor Umno leaders of prioritising political loyalty over the principles of justice.

“Their statements are clearly aimed more at defending their leadership than respecting the rule of law.

“Muda will not be dragged into these narrow political games. We will continue to push for this case to be brought back to court in the name of the rule of law,” he said.

Rasid also suggested that the Umno leaders were attempting to curry favour ahead of the looming general election.

“Perhaps because the election season is approaching, many are eager to flatter their leaders in hopes of securing a nomination.

“But do not, in your bid to flatter your leader, allow Johor’s honourable name to be tainted by someone whose corruption scandals, criminal breach of trust, and abuse of power are infamous worldwide.

“Let me remind you - flattery is not the Johorean way,” he said.

In 2023, Zahid was granted the DNAA on 47 charges of corruption, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds, despite having been called to enter his defence - a legal threshold that typically indicates strong prosecution evidence.

The prosecution, led at the time by Dusuki Mokhtar, who is now the attorney-general, requested the DNAA, citing that his team needed time for a more comprehensive and complete investigation into Zahid’s case.

High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah made his displeasure known to the prosecution, adding that taxpayers’ money would be wasted if the prosecution later dropped Zahid’s case.

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