PMO says no meeting, contradicts Zahid’s excuse to postpone trial

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s trial today was postponed for him to attend a meeting with Muhyiddin Yassin.

PETALING JAYA: The Prime Minister’s Office has denied that political leaders are scheduled to attend a meeting to discuss the formation of the new Cabinet under newly installed Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

The statement appears to contradict a claim by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who requested that his corruption trial be postponed today saying he had to meet Muhyiddin over Cabinet appointments.

But PMO said Muhyiddin was only meeting the Chief Secretary to the Government and department heads of government agencies to coordinate the smooth running of the government.

“The Prime Minister’s Office wishes to clarify that there is no meeting of political leaders scheduled today,” the statement said.

Zahid, the Bagan Datuk MP, is facing 87 charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and accepting bribes related to Yayasan Akalbudi funds and various projects during his tenure as home minister.

He had said that despite his party now being part of the new Perikatan Nasional coalition government, he wanted his trial to continue and to clear his name in court. - FMT