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Umno president Ahmad Zahid arrested by anti-graft body

This article is more than 12 months old

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday.

Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam revealed the arrest at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday in a Facebook post: "Datuk Seri Zahid informed me that he was arrested upon his arrival at MACC headquarters."

The MACC confirmed that Dr Ahmad Zahid was arrested at 3.15pm. He is expected to be charged today.

He is being investigated over alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to Yayasan Akal Budi, of which he is the chairman.

The probe involved RM800,000 (S$265,000) belonging to the foundation that was used to pay off his credit card bills.

Graft investigators have had four questioning sessions with Dr Ahmad Zahid, the first on July 3, followed by three interviews last week on Oct 10, 11 and 12, with each lasting more than eight hours.

MACC officials had on Wednesday asked the Umno president to be present at the commission's headquarters in Putrajaya at 3pm yesterday.

Earlier, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan urged party members to remain calm.

"Following a series of investigation done on him (Dr Ahmad Zahid), speculations have arisen that he would be charged soon.

"I and the Umno leadership believe that this issue must be looked upon openly and objectively. It should not be speculated (about) and be used as a model to capitalise on false and baseless accusations.

"What is important is that Umno members and all parties must remain calm and take a rational approach in the face of these issues," he said in a statement yesterday.

In a related development, former prime minister Najib Razak was back at the MACC headquarters for the second time this week to answer questions on 1Malaysia Development Berhad's dealings with International Petroleum Investment Co.

He was previously questioned on Tuesday.- THE STAR

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