Former Malaysian Deputy PM accused with new charge

Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi previously faced a total of 46 charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. (Source: NSTP)

Hanoi (VNA) – Malaysia’s former Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was hit with another charge at the Sessions Court on February 20 for criminal breach of trust, The Star newspaper reported.

The former deputy PM was accused of using 260,000 MYR (nearly 64,000 USD) of his family’s Yayasan Akal Budi foundation funds to make a payment to TS Consultancy and Resources on December 23, 2016.

Ahmad Zahid, who is chairman of the foundation, was charged with committing criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum of 20 years in jail, whipping and a fine, if convicted. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

AhmadZahid had previously faced a total of 46 charges, including 11 counts of criminal breach of trust, eight corruption charges,and 27 money-laundering charges. He pleaded not guilty to all 46 charges.

The investigations on Ahmad Zahid are over allegations of his misappropriation of funds belonging to Yayasan Akal Budi, which was set up in 1997 with the purpose of reducing poverty.

Meanwhile, he is said to have also used 800,000 MYR of the foundation’s money to settle his credit card bills.–VNA