PUTRAJAYA – The Court of Appeal has postponed hearing the prosecution’s appeal to reinstate 40 criminal charges against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi involving the foreign visa system (VLN).
A panel of judges headed by Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail, with Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk SM Komathy Suppiah, granted the adjournment, which was requested by Zahid’s lawyers.
The panel then fixed September 9 as the final date to hear the matter.
Datuk Hisyam Teh Pok Teik, who represents Zahid, told the court that Zahid had to attend a meeting at the Rural and Regional Development Ministry at noon today and that they are still waiting for the prosecution’s decision on Zahid’s representation letters.
Zahid had filed two representation letters to the Attorney-General’s Chambers in January last year and February this year, where they sought the chambers to drop their appeal against the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted by the high court.
The prosecution, led by Datuk Mohamad Dusuki Mokhtar, did not object to the request, as they concurred that the prosecution needs more time to study the letters.
Despite granting an adjournment, Hadhariah reminded both parties that the judges have spent days reading through the documents related to the matter.
“There must be a full stop somewhere. Whatever has been said here (regarding today’s adjournment), I wish to highlight that I’ve spent days reading the appeal records in this case.
“It’s voluminous documents, which consist not of hundreds, but thousands of pages to read. I did not touch other cases (as I wanted to) focus on this to understand the entire proceeding from A to Z.
“So, I’ve read the appeal record from cover to cover, as well as the submissions filed by parties. (So), not wanting to say much, since the prosecution did not object to this (request of) adjournment. But I wish to highlight this,” she said.
She also said fixing another date, in a month’s time, would be pointless, since it does not guarantee that the prosecution will decide on Zahid’s representation by then.
The Shah Alam High Court, in September 2022, granted Zahid a DNAA over his 40 criminal charges involving the VLN system, after judge Yazid Mustafa ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
In the case, Zahid was accused of 40 counts of offences, of which 33 alleged him to have received a SG$13.56 million (RM47.77 million) bribe from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd between 2014 and 2018 as the then home minister.
He was accused of receiving the bribe to allow the company to continue their VLN contract and a one-stop centre in China. He was also accused on seven other charges of receiving SG$1.15 million, RM3 million, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 from Ultra Kirana. – March 18, 2024