Prosecution says instructed not to object as Zahid's case adjourned for 'further probe'

The prosecution in Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's corruption case on Yayasan Akalbudi funds today said it had been instructed by the attorney-general not to object to an application for an adjournment of trial pending a decision on a letter of representation for a reconsideration of the charges against him. 

Zahid's lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh earlier told the court that the Umno president had sent a letter of representation to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) for the 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering against him to be dropped.

"We wrote a letter of representation in January, and we sent a continuation and a new representation with some new facts and evidence relating to the charges to the AGC in February," he said.

He also asked High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah to adjourn today's proceedings pending a decision by Attorney-General Idrus Harun on the representation.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob then told the judge that he had received instructions from the attorney-general not to object to the application. 

"My instructions (from the attorney-general) was not to object to this application for adjournment. The letter was voluminous and had complex issues to be considered," he said, citing also the length of the letter which he said was 200 pages long. 

"After going through the representation which is lengthy and contained complex issues, we were instructed not to object to the application (for an adjournment of hearing) because the prosecution needs reasonable time to consider (the representation)," he added. 

He said the letter also stated that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was conducting further investigations on the new evidence presented by the defence.

"We have not received any information regarding MACC's investigation, but the prosecution needs the results of the investigation to decide on the representation application.

"We do not know whether MACC has started the investigation or not, therefore to complete the whole process, we need the results of the investigation," he said.

Sequerah then allowed the case to be adjourned until Aug 1. 

Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, faces 12 counts of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

Last month, he succeeded in his bid for the permanent return of his passport, for the purpose of carrying out his official duties abroad. 

The passport was previously surrendered to the court as an additional bail condition. 

The Court of Appeal allowed his application, overturning the previous High Court decision by Sequerah dismissing his bid.