TLDR: Courts Want Zahid’s Doctor To Testify On Back Injury, Ahmad Maslan Pleads Not Guilty
Ahmad Zahid’s doctor, Dr Mohd Shahir Anuar has to appear before the court tomorrow.
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It’s back to the courts for politicians with on-going cases including UMNO President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Pontian MP, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Muar MP Syed Saddiq.
Here’s a roundup for what’s going on so far.
Zahid Hamidi has back problems and court wants proof
It’s reported by Astro Awani that the High Court has issued a subpoena on a private hospital specialist doctor to appear in court to explain Ahmad Zahid’s health condition.
The order was issued after the UMNO President was not present to trial for corruption, breach of trust and money laundering cases involving funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah issued the subpoena on Dr Mohd Shahir Anuar from Avisena Specialist Hospital, Shah Alam to appear in court at 3.30pm, Wednesday.
CNA reported that Ahmad Zahid had been admitted to a private hospital on Monday due to a fall last week.
This case cannot be postponed any longer, I want this case to be resolved this year as well. It is unfair for the accused and the court to continue to postpone this case for too long. The case was first mentioned in court in 2019.
High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah via Astro Awani
The UMNO President is facing 47 charges with 12 of them involving breach of trust, eight bribery and 27 money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit of funds belonging to the foundation.
The trial has been being delayed several times including most recently three weeks ago after the office of one of the lawyers was exposed to Covid-19.
Ahmad Zahid tells new government to not be like the old one
The new government was reminded not to repeat some of the mistakes of the previous government such as bias in the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and blocking Parliamentary sittings, according to Ahmad Zahid.
He was quoted by Sinar Harian saying that the people had high hopes for the new government to make changes so that the country would escape the worsening threat of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to him, among the previous mistakes that had to be made the border was the populist decision which was dangerous because it gave too much leeway before the country reaches herd immunity.
Ahmad Maslan pleads not guilty
Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan pleaded not guilty to two charges in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
The two charges are failing to declare RM2 million received from Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and giving false statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The judge then set the case management date on 29 September.
His first charge is under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment or a fine of RM5 million or both, if convicted.
As for his second charge – Section 32(8)(c) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act – carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment or a fine of RM3 million or both, if convicted.
Syed Saddiq wants case moved to High Court
Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman applied to be tried at the High Court for his breach of trust of a political party’s funds amounting to RM1 million case, misappropriation of RM120,000 donations for the 14th General Election (GE14) campaign and money laundering.
Lawyer Haijan Omar, who represented the Muar MP was quoted by Berita Harian saying that the case should be transferred on the grounds that there were constitutional issues that would arise in the case and it was more appropriate to be tried in the High Court.
He said the application was set for case management before High Court Deputy Registrar Catherine Nicholas on Wednesday.
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