No decision yet on Zahid's bid to escape 47 charges, court told

There is no decision yet by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) on the representation letters submitted by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to drop the 47 criminal breach of trust, corruption, and money laundering charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB), the High Court in Kuala Lumpur was told today.

AGC trial and appeals division head Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar said the AGC was still waiting for the findings of further investigations conducted by a special task force of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding new evidence presented by the defence.

"The special task force is conducting the investigation, and there is no decision yet on it," he said during Zahid's trial proceedings before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah (now Appeals Court judge).

Zahid, 70, had sent the 200-page letter of representation to Attorney-General Idrus Harun as a basis for consideration of dropping the charges against him.

The first letter of representation was submitted in January, while the latest, with facts and new evidence, was sent to the AGC in February.

The representation was also accompanied by a letter dated Feb 20 from MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki, who informed the agency to carry out further investigations into the new facts and evidence presented by the defence.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob joined in the proceedings today, while lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik represented Zahid.

Zahid, 70, who is also rural and regional development minister, is facing 47 charges, namely 12 on criminal breach of trust, eight on corruption, and 27 on money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB.

The trial then continued with the prosecution cross-examining the sixth defence witness, Zahid's special officer, Mohd Kamal Abdullah, 66.