PH made selective prosecution against me, more than 20 other BN leaders - Ahmad Zahid

Ahmad Zahid, 69, said when BN failed to form a government in 2018, he and other leaders, including Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Datuk Ahmad Maslan and Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, were dragged to court for criminal offences.

"Your Honor, I am aware that on May 9, 2018, when the government under BN failed to obtain enough seats to form a government, a coalition of other parties took over and in June (2018) a report by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was made against me," he said.

The former deputy prime minister said this during re-examination by his lawyer, Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal when making his defence on 47 charges, involving 12 for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight charges for corruption and 27 charges for money laundering, involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB).

According to Ahmad Zahid, when the new PH coalition took over the federal government, charges that had been made against 15 individuals in court were withdrawn, including against Bagan Member of Parliament Lim Guan Eng, Sungai Buloh Member of Parliament R. Sivarasa and the then PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.

"If this is not a politically motivated charge, I don't know what other terms can be used. Charges against the accused were withdrawn by the attorney general at the time, while individuals from the losing party were dragged to court and charged.

He said the investigation should prioritise issues that damage the system of justice and enforcement, instead of conducting an investigation as a move to allow leaders who took over the government to take their revenge.

Questioned by Ahmad Zaidi whether he had been threatened, either subtly or harshly, by the prime minister and deputy prime minister regarding the YAB case, Ahmad Zahid said:

"Not specifically threatened over matters related to YAB, but threats to my position in the party as the UMNO president.

"The then prime minister, Tun (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) said he wanted to meet me and the threat made against me was that if I did not leave the party and dissolve UMNO, something would be done to me, certainly these charges made against me were made as a result of the threat," he said.

He said Dr Mahathir did admit to some media having asked him (Ahmad Zahid) to leave the party and dissolve UMNO.

Hence, this admission provides strong evidence in the case, he added.

The hearing before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues at 2 pm.