Protest rally held in Kuala Lumpur over charges against Zahid being dropped

KUALA LUMPUR - Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to protest against a court decision

to drop 47 graft and money laundering charges against Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi

after five years of delayed hearings.

The protesters are supporters of opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) members Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, as well as former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad’s erstwhile party Parti Pejuang Tanah Air and several non-governmental organisations.

The protesters marched from the Kampung Baru Mosque after Saturday afternoon prayers to the Dang Wangi district police station, more than a kilometre away, shouting, “Prosecute Zahid, reformation is dead”.

Dubbed “Save Malaysia”, the rally started at 2pm and ended about two hours later.

Bersatu member Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, who was the main speaker during the protest, accused the federal government of playing with Malaysia’s rule of law.

“We want to save Malaysia. Laws of our country have been played (with) by the current administration,” he said.

Datuk Tun Faisal, a former Umno Putrajaya deputy chief, urged the protesters dressed in white shirts to follow the organisers to lodge a police report for the government to reopen investigations and charge Datuk Seri Zahid.

Mr Faisal, who was also one of the protest organisers, said more rallies will be planned if demands to prosecute Dr Zahid are not met.

“We will continue until change happens. And by change, we mean the ‘re-charging’ of Zahid Hamidi.”

PN’s Taman Medan assemblyman Afif Bahardin said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s supporters had gathered in the city centre more than two decades ago to oppose tyranny.

“Today, I declare the death of reformation. We have no other option. This demonstration is only the beginning,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur police chief Alaudeen Abdul Majid called the protest unlawful, citing potential violations of the Peaceful Assembly Act by the rally organisers.

There were about 850 protesters, he said, adding that the police will summon anyone who is necessary to assist in the investigation. 

“We will look into everything, and we will act accordingly,” he told reporters at the press conference on Saturday.  

On Sept 4, Dr Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, was given a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in relation to 47 charges. These covered criminal breach of trust involving more than RM31 million (S$9 million) belonging to his Yayasan Akalbudi charitable foundation, money laundering of over RM72 million and RM21 million in bribes.

Dr Zahid’s rivals criticised the DNAA as political interference, but it was celebrated by his Umno party, which is a partner in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition government of Datuk Seri Anwar.

Pejuang information chief Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali said there are many questions surrounding how Dr Zahid received the DNAA and the matter needs to be thoroughly investigated.

Shortly after the DNAA was granted to Dr Zahid, former premier Najib Razak was also

let off the hook for charges of tampering

with an audit related to scandal-tainted sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad after prosecutors failed to file an appeal against his acquittal.

Following criticism of the court decision granting a DNAA to Dr Zahid, Mr Anwar said that he does not have the power to interfere in judicial matters.

But the youth-based Muda party

withdrew its support for Mr Anwar’s unity government

in protest, resulting in the government being one seat short of a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The ruling coalition consists of PH, the Umno-led Barisan Nasional alliance and parties from Sabah and Sarawak.