'Possible' for Ahmad Zahid to attend court proceedings on Sept 6 - Doctor

Dr Mohd Shahir Anuar from Avisena Specialist Hospital in Shah Alam said this when asked by Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who is presiding over the UMNO president's case.

Justice Sequerah: In your opinion Doctor, would the patient in this position come to court on September 6? He is required to sit during the proceedings, he also can take a break.

Dr Mohd Shahir: Possible, but not longer than 40 minutes. He cannot sit for so long, he must do some stretching as well.

Yesterday, the court was scheduled to hear submissions at the end of the prosecution's case. However, it was postponed as the accused was hospitalised last Sunday (Aug 22) due to injuries sustained as a result of a fall.

Following this, Justice Sequerah had issued a subpoena to the doctor to come to the court to explain the medical condition of Ahmad Zahid as well as the procedure the accused has to undergo, and to ascertain the recovery period.

Asked about the admission process, Dr Mohd Shahir said Ahmad Zahid informed him that he slipped in the toilet last Wednesday (Aug 18), shortly after the 'Asar' prayers, which resulted in him suffering from neck and thoracic pain.

"He has no spine fractures. Yesterday, he underwent pain intervention procedure to alleviate pain for his slipped disc," said the doctor.

When asked how long it would take for Ahmad Zahid to walk as usual, Dr Mohd Shahir replied "he can walk normally, but cannot sit for so long. He cannot put pressure by sitting for so long.

Justice Sequerah: Then, how long he can sit?

Dr Mohd Shahir: Usually, for every 30-45 minutes, he needs to stand up and stretch his body.

Earlier, questioned by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran on why the pain intervention procedure was conducted yesterday and not the day the accused was admitted (last Sunday), Dr Mohd Shahir said he had to stabilise his patient's condition first as he was already on medication.

Raja Rozela: Doctor, do you know that the accused went to Istana Negara on Aug 19. He also attended the swearing-in ceremony on Aug 21, a day before he was admitted. I watched the ceremony from start to finish, your patient was there. The pain he described to you did not prevent him to drive or being driven all the way to Istana Negara and he sat there for at least one hour or more until the ceremony ended.

That kind of pain could not prevent him, or did not prevent him (from going to the Istana). I put it to you that, he is actually malingering because he has been seen by the whole nation basically that he is able to walk, he is able to sit, able to go around to the Palace as normal.

Dr Mohd Shahir: I disagree. As a doctor, we have to trust our patient. I (had) made sure the pain was real and thus we conducted all investigations such as an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and a CT (computerised tomography) scan on him.

Ahmad Zahid's counsel Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal questioned whether Ahmad Zahid was on painkillers from the day he fell to the time he was at the Palace and if was it possible for the effects of the painkillers to wear off, to which Dr Mohd Shahir replied "Yes possible".

At the end of the proceedings, the lawyer also asked the doctor to check the bench in the dock if it was suitable for Ahmad Zahid to which the doctor said that it was not suitable for a patient who is suffering from a slipped disc and back pain.

"Maybe you can provide a chair with a cushion," said Dr Mohd Shahir.

The court then retained Sept 6 for submissions at the end of the prosecution's case.

On March 19, the prosecution closed its case after calling 99 witnesses to testify.

Ahmad Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges - 12 for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.