DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh has hit out at a PAS assemblyman from Kedah for questioning the timing of DAP’s call for the attorney-general to review the 47 charges faced by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Pengkalan Kundor assemblyman Mardhiyyah Johari said yesterday that the issue had not been raised when DAP and its allies in Pakatan Harapan needed Umno’s support to form the federal government after the 2022 general election.
Ramkarpal, the Bukit Gelugor MP, said Mardhiyyah was “clearly erroneous and ignorant of DAP’s stand on the matter”.
He said a check of the facts would have shown that DAP had raised serious concerns immediately after the High Court granted Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) on Sept 4, 2023, following an application by the prosecution.
DAP raised concerns after Zahid’s DNAA
Ramkarpal said DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook issued a statement the following day calling for the attorney-general to explain the decision.
“Loke had then said that DAP will always uphold the principle of separation of powers between the judicial, executive and legislative branches and ensure there is no executive intervention in any court case, before pointing out that the issue was of public interest,” he said.
Ramkarpal, who is DAP’s legal bureau chairman, said the party had also called on the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to explain why it had decided to take no further action against Zahid, as stated in its Jan 7 statement this year.
He added that on Jan 8, he had asked the AGC why it had suddenly taken the view that the High Court’s prima facie findings against Zahid did not carry weight, particularly when those findings were based on evidence presented in court by the prosecution itself.
Ramkarpal challenges PAS to do the same
Ramkarpal said DAP would continue to question the attorney-general’s decision in Zahid’s case because “it clearly makes no sense”, particularly given the High Court’s prima facie findings against him.
“The question that arises instead is whether PAS will do the same or refrain from doing so, now that Umno and PAS seem to enjoy a cosy relationship with each other,” he said.
On Thursday, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer urged the attorney-general to review Zahid’s case, with DAP Youth backing the call the following day.
Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, was granted a DNAA on 47 charges involving corruption, money laundering and criminal breach of trust in the Yayasan Akalbudi case.
The case had reached the defence stage, with Zahid and 14 other defence witnesses having testified when the prosecution applied for a conditional discharge.
