Zaid dismayed at silence over Khairuddin’s arrest

Former law minister says no Opposition leader or Bar Council representative has spoken up about it, as if the Umno man had done "something wrong”.

PETALING JAYA: The dead silence from Opposition politicians, and representatives from NGOs and the Malaysian Bar Council over the arrest and six-day remand of Khairuddin Abu Hassan has dismayed former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who said the Umno man was being treated as if he had committed some wrongdoing.

Taking to Twitter to express his disappointment, Zaid said, “Every(one) keeps quiet; the opposition, NGO’s, the Bar Council. As if he (Khairuddin) did something wrong.”

Khairuddin a relentless critic of Prime Minister Najib Razak who has alleged massive corruption at 1Malaysia Development Berhad was arrested Friday evening at his residence, shortly after being told he was banned from leaving the country.

He was on his way to meet with representatives of the US Federal Bureau of Investigations with his lawyer Matthias Chang, also banned from leaving the country, on the issue of possible money-laundering at 1MDB.

“Just because Khairudin is Tun M’s (former prime minister) friend does not mean he does not deserve help,” Zaid remarked, adding that prominent political and legal figures in the country should be “on the street” protesting this recent turn of events.

“They should be on the street; expressing their disgust at Najib, the Police and AG (Attoryney-General).”

He added, “Khairudin is now in remand, for doing what is within his right to do. He complains of a possible felony committed by Najib.”

However The Malaysian Insider did report yesterday that former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan condemned the move as a blatant abuse of power and said it would not hold up in court.

Khairuddin is being investigated under Section 124C of the Penal Code for activities deemed detrimental to Parliamentary democracy.