Anwar to MPs: God willing, I will answer all questions
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to deliver his winding-up speech on the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon.
He is expected to respond to questions regarding the High Court granting a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for his number two Ahmad Zahid Hamidi despite a prima facie case being established.
In a Facebook post this morning...
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to deliver his winding-up speech on the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon.
He is expected to respond to questions regarding the High Court granting a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for his number two Ahmad Zahid Hamidi despite a prima facie case being established.
In a Facebook post this morning, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said he would deliver his speech at 4.30pm.
"Thank you to all MPs who participated in the debate (on the mid-term review) since last week.
"Insya-Allah (God willing), I will answer all the questions (raised by MPs) later today," he added.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said told MPs to use Question Time to quiz Anwar on Zahid’s case.
"You asked me if the prime minister will answer about this issue. He is here (in the House) now, and since he is showing the 'thumbs up' sign, I believe he will answer it tomorrow,” she said.
Zahid’s DNAA
Anwar previously clarified that the government did not influence the Attorney-General’s Chambers to withdraw the charges against Zahid.
He also said that it was former attorney-general Idrus Harun who decided to revoke the charges and insisted on doing so before his retirement on Sept 6.
“Idrus was (initially) in favour of continuing the charges, but later, he read the new facts presented in the 200-plus-page (letter) of representation (sent by Zahid's lawyers).
"As the prime minister, I was aware of the repercussions (of the DNAA), and I had to discuss at length with the ex-AG the reasons and the timing behind the move," he added.
On Sept 4, the prosecution withdrew all 47 corruption and money laundering charges against Zahid in relation to the Yayasan Akalbudi.
One of the grounds cited for this is that the Umno president could have been a victim of selective prosecution.
The withdrawal of the charges sparked a furore, with the opposition suggesting that Anwar had interfered in the matter in return for Zahid’s support which had helped the Pakatan Harapan chairperson become prime minister after the last general election.
PM Anwar, it is NOT the answers that are matter. It about how competent you are to remove the perception. A few suggestions in Zahid's DNAA: 1) Provide a clear date line for MACC to complete and close the investigation in Zahid's Akalbudi case with the NEW evidences. Ask MACC to use their 'akal' and 'budi.' 2) When AG will complete his job once MACC pass the investigation paper. We do not want to hear the same broken records as I had mentioned in this forum yesterday. No standard answers as washing hand and kick the ball to AG. Do not hide behind A145(3) of our FC. As a PM you need to build confidence and remove any perception in your administration. .