The call by Jelutong MP RSN Rayer for UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to be investigated again over the 47 charges he previously faced is, frankly, rather amusing.
I understand that anyone suspected of corruption, criminal breach of trust or other offences should be investigated and, if found guilty, punished accordingly.
However, in Zahid’s case, I find it rather curious that Rayer has suddenly decided to revive the issue.
Does this DAP lawmaker realise that Zahid has been serving as Deputy Prime Minister since November 2022? In other words, he has held Malaysia’s second-highest political office for almost four years.
What makes this even more striking is that Zahid was appointed while his 47 charges were still before the courts, and after he had been ordered to enter his defence against all of them.
Then, on September 4, 2023, the High Court granted Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA), a decision that came as a surprise to many.
On January 8 this year, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) subsequently decided that no further action (NFA) would be taken against the 47 charges.
So, here is the question I want to ask: Where was Rayer when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim decided to appoint Zahid as Deputy Prime Minister?
Why did he not object from the outset, particularly when Zahid’s appointment was already drawing public scrutiny?
Is Rayer only raising the issue now because the Madani government is approaching the end of its term?
He has had plenty of opportunities to speak up, especially when Zahid was granted DNAA in 2023.
Is Rayer speaking out now because UMNO no longer wants to work with Pakatan Harapan? Or is it because UMNO is expected to share power with PAS after the 16th General Election (GE16)?
This is precisely why I find Rayer’s latest demand unconvincing. He has had more than four years to raise the issue, yet he has chosen to speak up only now.
Rayer
If the concern is truly about accountability and the integrity of public office, why wait until this point to make it an issue?
Azzman Mantoya (azzman.tvpertiwi@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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