KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was let off with a warning by the court after apologising about the "misunderstanding" over his alleged meeting with the Prime Minister which led to the adjournment of his trial yesterday.
The Umno president’s corruption trial was postponed yesterday as he claimed that he needed to meet newly-appointed Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss the formation of a new Cabinet.
His excuse led to contempt of court proceedings after the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a statement stating that there was no meeting scheduled for Muhyiddin to meet any politicians.
High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah in accepting Zahid's apology said the court found no case of contempt.
The judge said he accepted Zahid’s explanation that it was a miscommunication and that the wrong choice of words may have been employed in seeking for the adjournment.
“I have also taken into account the sincere apology tendered by the accused that this was a misunderstanding and it was never his intention to deceive the court,” he said.
Sequerah also made a general warning that the court will not tolerate any attempt to mislead it.
“Should there be any hints or attempts to mislead the court or contemptuous conduct, this court makes it abundantly and crystal clear that it will not hesitate to impose a fine or imprisonment,” he added.
Earlier, Zahid explained that he was unable to produce in court a letter which he had concerning an appointment with the Prime Minister after pledging to show the letter in court today.
His excuse was that, the Prime Minister's political secretary had yet to be officially appointed and therefore could not issue the letter.
Zahid then stood up in the dock and apologised for all that had happened.
However, his apology did not appease deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran who said Zahid's failure to produce a letter showed that he was again making up stories.
"Yesterday, he said he had the letter with him but now he says letter could not be issued.
" He said on record that the letter was sent to him. The accused is again making up stories," she said adding that there was clear that there was never a meeting with the Prime Minister scheduled at all.
The contempt proceedings against Zahid were initiated after his lawyers applied for an adjournment yesterday by informing the court that he had to attend a meeting with the prime minister to discuss the formation of a new government.