KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi promised today to disclose details of the owner of the private jet he had used during his recent haj pilgrimage, after he returns from his trip abroad.
“I am now in Moscow for my official duties. When I return, I will give an answer,” he said in an SMS response to The Malaysian Insider today.
Earlier today, the defence minister confirmed that allegations he had flown to Saudi Arabia for his haj on a private jet were true but denied the plane belonged to him.
Ahmad Zahid is the second member of the Cabinet to come under public scrutiny in recent weeks following the Auditor-General’s report last month.
Earlier Women, Family and Community Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil came under attack for allegedly abusing her position in the government after the country’s top auditor revealed her husband and children were involved in the National Feedlot Corporation, a multimillion ringgit government cattle farming project, and had made a mess of the venture.
In a text message to The Malaysian Insider today, Ahmad Zahid admitted to jetting to Mecca for the haj recently.
“Yes it’s true, but I only hitched a ride. Coincidentally he too was performing the haj,” he said.
“Is that wrong?” he shot back.
According to the claims spread through emails, Ahmad Zahid had first flown to Mecca to meet his wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis who had travelled to Saudi Arabia first. The couple then boarded the private jet to Jeddah.
“Who’s the owner of this private jet, if his [Ahmad Zahid’s] friend; what was the reason to use it?
“Does his friend have an interest in the defence ministry?
“If he is using his own money to rent the jet, where did he get so much?” stated the anonymous email that was sent out.
The claims also mentioned the Umno vice-president frequently flew to Saudi Arabia during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan with his business partner known only as “Tuan Sheikh Rozi.”
The defence minister made no mention of this in his reply to The Malaysian Insider.
The Bagan Datok MP was appointed defence minister in 2009 when Datuk Seri Najib Razak replaced Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as prime minister.
Prior to that he was a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic matters.
As most of the CEO or marketing managers make fast travel through a Private Jet and which yield this to huge profit in their business.
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