Former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan has come out swinging at the government after Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) over his corruption case.
Taking to Twitter, she said the government owed the public an explanation.
“An utter waste of public funds in proving a prima facie case and a waste of all the hard work of members of the Attorney-General's Chambers.
“An explanation is definitely owed to the public. And I hope no UG (unity government) politician dares to justify this or ever again say they are anti-corruption,” Ambiga (above) added.
Earlier, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki claimed that the DNAA proved that Zahid, who is also Umno president, was a victim of political persecution.
PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan also questioned the DNAA, noting that the court on Jan 24 had ordered Zahid to enter his defence.
“Why was Zahid called to make his defence? That means the prosecution has proved a (prima facie) case for a defence to be called.
“But why did the same prosecution ask for DNAA? Why not let the judge decide?
"(Prime Minister) Anwar (Ibrahim) is beginning to look like a real student of (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad),” he added.
‘How can this be justified?’
Sharing her thoughts on the DNAA, former MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya tweeted that it was “shameful”.
“How can this ever be justified? Prima facie case was established.
“What does this say to our MACC officers who dedicate their lives to fighting corruption? What message is this government sending out?” she asked.
Calling it a “sad day for democracy”, former Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah urged the prosecution to provide a “fuller, honest and open” explanation for seeking the DNAA.
“Citizens went to the streets to protest against corrupt leaders… and we expect justice to be served.
“The DNAA decision is definitely a setback on the peoples’ movement and tantamount to saying: ‘Corruption is OK!’
“It is indeed an objectionable pushback against the reform agenda that was fought for by Malaysians for more than 10 years,” she added.
This morning, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted the DNAA for all 47 charges related to Yayasan Akalbudi following an application by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar.
Zahid’s counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, however, had sought for a full acquittal.
The DNAA opens the possibility of Zahid being recharged in the future if prosecutors wish to revisit the matter. - Mkini
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