Ex-aide implicating me in graft case to save his neck - Isa

Former Felda chairperson Mohd Isa Abdul Samad disclosed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that his former special political officer, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip was a person who liked ‘to jump from one political party to another’ and used other people to save his neck.

He said Muhammad Zahid who has served with him for six years since 2011, really likes to crossover from one party to another, he jumped from Umno to PKR and criticised Anwar (Ibrahim) and Azmin (Ali)... then re-entered Umno and supported Najib (Abdul Razak).

“After that, when Najib did not appoint him as political secretary, he finally followed Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad)... when Pakatan Harapan won he became Tun’s political secretary,” said Isa during the examination-in-chief by his counsel Salehuddin Saidin on the second day of defence proceedings in connection with the nine corruption charges he faced.

He added that after the Sheraton Move, Muhammad Zahid was no longer with Dr Mahathir and now he supports Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“Tun Mahathir has issued a statement about his political secretary having a problem with the court. He (Muhammad Zahid) asked Tun Mahathir to tell the court to stop hearing his case. Although at that time he had not been charged.

“He (Muhammad Zahid) does not have a fixed principle,” said Isa.

Questioned by Salehuddin whether Muhammad Zahid’s action in associating his name, in this case, was to save his neck, Isa replied: “That is his motive.”

Isa also agreed with his counsel on his statement (regarding being harassed by a ghost) what happened to Muhammad Zahid was true.

On the first day of the defence proceedings, Mohd Isa told the court that Muhammad Zahid was under duress because he was harassed by a ‘ghost’ in the detention cell of the MACC building, believed to be haunted, and had implicated him (Isa) in the alleged corruption charge to escape from being charged himself.

The former Felda chairperson also agreed with his lawyer that during the trial, only Muhammad Zahid testified that Isa received the money while other witnesses stated that the money was received by Muhammad Zahid.

Isa faced nine charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM3,090,000 from the board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, Ikhwan Zaidel through Muhammad Zahid, as a token of gratitude to help approve the purchase of a hotel by Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FICSB) at RM160 million.

The trial before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali would resume on Sept 3.

- Bernama