After GE15, PH did not manage to win the required number of Parliamentary seats to form government on its own. In such cases, it can be acceptable that coalition governments are formed with other parties, simply to be able to form a government. So, PH ended up forming a coalition government with the BN(its main 'enemy') and later with more Sabah and Sarawak MPs joining in.
Today, even if BN is excluded, PH can theoretically still be government with other MPs, not BN.
Many are still hoping that Anwar and PH, in forming a coalition government with BN and others, will not abandon its promises, its promised reforms and its principles. We wanted REAL changes...
But DOUBTS emerged, also when Anwar also made the UMNO President(who was facing multiple charges in court) into his Deputy Prime Minister. [Well, we saw a similar earlier coalition government after the Sheraton Move that also involved BN as a major coalition partner - Zahid Hamidi and others in the 'so called court cluster' were excluded from Ministerial positions. Even when Muhyiddin left, and an UMNO MP, not part of the 'court cluster' was the Prime Minister.
So, was Muhyiddin, BERSATU, PAS(i.e. PN) more principled than Anwar and PH, who brought in Zahid Hamidi from the Cabinet. So, does this mean that Anwar and PH are 'weaker', compared to PN, in terms of maintaining their principles/values?
NOT EXACTLY - for the situation was very different for Anwar and PH, as after GE15, their only available option to forming a coalition government was with BN, if not all the Sabah/Sarawak MPs - noting that PN then openly rejected the idea of forming a cioalition government with PH.
But still, could Anwar not ensure that those in the 'court cluster' or those who escaped trial but accepted compound(noting that such acceptance of compound could be said an acknowledgement of guilt - an innocent person accused of abuse of power/corruption like offences would have not accepted compound but insisted on trial as a means to prove that one is truly not guilty)
COMPOUNDS
for serious money laundering offences allow government to 'protect the
Guilty' from trials and convictions must be abolished??
COMPOUNDS for serious money laundering offences allow government to 'protect the Guilty' from trials and convictions must be abolished??
Zahid Hamidi - well, he is facing a trial, where at the close of prosecution, the judge ordered him to enter defence.
Zahid is on trial for 47 charges: 12 of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption, and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi...The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.
Now, judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah was recently elevated to the Court of Appeal - would this judge continue hearing the Zahid Hamidi trial, or will another judge come in at this stage to hear Zahid Hamidi's case.
Now MADPET, in a statement said ' MADPET also calls for the immediate disclosure as to whether Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appointed and elevated judges as per the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Commission, or that he opted to ignore the JAC recommendations, and appointed or elevated judges on his own. The names of judges appointed or elevated, different from those recommended by the JAC must be made known, and it will be best that these judges do consider recusing themselves from cases involving the government, or the Prime Minister, Cabinet members or politicians.-Amend Federal Constitution and Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 to remove Prime Minister’s role in appointment and elevation of judges in Malaysia. PM must disclose whether recent appointments is as per recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Commission or not. (MADPET)
Anwar, to date, I believe has yet to clarify - were ALL the appointment and elevation of judges 100% based on what was recommended by the Judicial Appointments Commission? Or did Anwar not follow the JAC recommendations? This is a fundamental issue, as the then PH Plus PM Mahathir may have not followed the JAC recomendations, and acted on his own in some judge's appointment. Anwar must clarify FAST.
- We hope the elevation was not with a 'motive' to 'assist' Zahid Hamidi to remove good judge Collin- and we hope that YAA Collin Lawrence Sequerah will continue to hear Zahid Hamidi's case until the very end. A change of judge at this stage of the trial is not good, and raises doubts ....
We recall earlier press reports, where it seems that Zahid has admitted receipt of the monies - but is trying to say it was not a crime as it was not used for personal benefit. He is claiming that it is 'political donation', which he decided not to use for his constituency or give it to UMNO - but to use it for charity. Everyone is eagerly awaiting for the final decision of the judge in this case...
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the High Court today that he had never used the RM6 million allegedly received as a political donation from the deputy managing director of Datasonic Group Berhad (DGB), Chew Ben Ben, for personal benefit.
The Bagan Datuk MP repeatedly stressed that he chose not to deposit the money into his accounts or use it for his personal benefit.
"Even though at that time I was holding the post of deputy president (of Umno) and that money could be used for political purposes, I chose to use it neither for politics nor for personal purposes, but instead to channel it for charity, waqf and religious activities,"When asked by Malik why the RM6 million he claimed was a political donation was not deposited into the accounts of Umno or Barisan Nasional, Zahid said it was "not necessarily (so)".
"If a politician receives a political donation, the money doesn’t necessarily need to be deposited into his party’s account as nowhere on the cheque were the words ‘donation for political party’ written.
"If money is given to a politician, he has the discretion to deposit it into his own account or any other account he deems fit," he said.
In another case, the High Court Judge on 23/9/2022 found that prosecution failed at the close of prosecution case to successfully prove a prima facie case against Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Bagan Datuk MP, on not just some charges but all 40 bribery charges. The judge found that the prosecution failed to call ‘material witnesses’ and adduce certain evidence. (Malay Mail, 23/9/2022). Zahid Hamidi was acquitted without even having to enter his defence. Since then, the prosecution has appealed to the Court of Appeal...'...However, the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal is set for case management before the Court of Appeal on Feb 17 this year....'
MOST disturbing now is the signs that PH may form an electoral pact with BN to face the remaining State elections...
This may be unacceptable to many a Malaysians that supported PH to keep the BN out of Federal and State governments.
Now, PH has been allegedly in discussions with UMNO-BN about seats - Is PH asking Malaysians to now vote for BN in some seats? Will PH not contest in all the State seats - which is what many PH supporters may want.
What is best is that PH Plus face the upcoming State elections alone, and not with BN. Then after the election results is out - and there is a need for a coalition government if PH Plus failed to secure the number of seats to form a government on its own, then and then only go into discussion with other parties with the intention of forming a coalition government.
PH (DAP,PKR and Amanah) must clarify matters
- Are they now forming an electoral pact with BN to face the upcoming State elections? If PH decides on an electoral pact with BN, it must face the possibility of losing the support of the people...
How much bending over backwards must Anwar and PH do just to remain PM and in government at the Federal level? Is BN calling all the shots now?
Is the 'no reform on political appointments' one of the consequences? Keep things as they were when BN ruled.
Is the no review of SOSMA also another consequence?
Will there be many more 'Janji Tidak Ditepati' that we will see from Anwar and PH?
News
Court reschedules Zahid’s Yayasan Akalbudi corruption trial to April
Hidir Reduan Abdul Rashid
Published: Jan 16, 2023 10:11 AM
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The Kuala Lumpur High Court has rescheduled to April the corruption trial against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi.
Trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah today set for the graft proceedings against Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, to resume on April 10 to 13.
Sequerah also maintained the trial dates on May 15 to 18, June 12 to 15, July 24 to 27, as well as Aug 1 to 3, Aug 7 to 10 and Aug 21 to 24.
During this morning’s mention of the case, deputy public prosecutor Rozela Raja Toran informed that “the accused, or rather the DPM (deputy prime minister), is present in the dock”.
Defence counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal and Hisyam Teh Poh Teik appeared for Zahid, who is Bagan Datuk MP.
In November last year, the court had initially set today to Thursday this week for the continuation of the full trial of the case.
However, sometime later, the court had taken off the trial dates this week and converted today’s proceedings into mention.
Having held the deputy prime ministership during the BN administration under then premier Najib Abdul Razak prior to the 14th general election (GE14) in May 2018, Zahid was again appointed as DPM in December last year.
His appointment came on the heels of the formation of the Anwar Ibrahim-led unity government after GE15 in November last year.
On Jan 24 last year, the court ordered Zahid to enter his defence on 12 charges of criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption, and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to the foundation.
The trial began on Nov 18, 2019. The prosecution rested its case on March 19, 2021, after calling 99 witnesses.
In the defence stage of the trial since last year, Zahid testified on the witness stand among others that millions of ringgit in Yayasan Akalbudi funds were utilised for both Islamic and general charity work.
Incidentally, on Sept 24 last year, the Shah Alam High Court discharged and acquitted Zahid from 40 corruption charges linked to the foreign visa system (VLN).
However, the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal is set for case management before the Court of Appeal on Feb 17 this year. - Malaysiakini, 16/1/2023
State polls: Selangor PH leaders to discuss seat distribution soon
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 — The Selangor Pakatan Harapan top leadership will be meeting soon to discuss seat distribution for the upcoming state election.
Selangor Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chairman Izham Hashim said he will be holding talks with his PKR and DAP counterparts, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Gobind Singh Deo, respectively before a technical committee meets on the matter.
“In principle, the aim is to outline the criteria for the distribution. We have several methods but I don't need to reveal them here because they are very detailed.
“We cannot simply just demand seats because then they will be no end to it, so there must be a fair way or criteria to handle seat distribution so that it is accepted by all the component parties,” he told reporters when met at the Jualan Jelajah Ehsan Rakyat (JER) 2.0 programme in Ampang here today.
Izham also said that a recent Selangor PH meeting decided that it will hold talks with Selangor Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) on the same matter.
“We have met for unofficial talks and it looked favourable. They (Umno and BN) have given positive feedback and we hope to resolve the seat distribution issue and so on before Ramadan so that we can focus on work on the ground,” he said.
Meanwhile, Izham who is also Selangor Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman, said that the state government has agreed to provide compassionate aid to the residents of 15 houses in Taman Bukit Permai 2, Ampang after they were ordered to evacuate following a landslide incident in March.
Their area was later declared unsafe for occupancy.
“Each unit owner will get an estimate of RM300,000 and the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council will be demolishing the 15 homes for the area to be made as a buffer zone,” he said.
Izham said that in addition to the cash aid, all affected homeowners will be offered a Rumah Selangorku project unit at RM200,000 only.
The landslide incident claimed four lives and left one person slightly injured. — Bernama, Malay Mail, 4/2/2023
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