PUTRAJAYA: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been arrested the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The graft-busters, in a statement this evening, said Zahid, who was also former deputy prime minister, was arrested following an investigation into abuse of power, criminal breach of trust as well as money-laundering.
The arrest, said the commission, was related to funds belonging to a foundation.
MACC said the arrest was done after obtaining clearance from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to charge Zahid.
“The arrest was made at 3.15pm at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya today.
“Ahmad Zahid will subsequently face several charges under the MACC Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFAPUAA) 2001.
“Ahmad Zahid will be brought to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court at 8am tomorrow to be charged,” read the statement.
Zahid Hamidi arrived at the MACC headquarters at 3pm to have his statement recorded. Reports had earlier indicated that he is expected to be arrested before being charged.
Zahid, dressed in a batik shirt, had appeared in good spirits as he was met by around 50 media personnel who had been camped out at the commission’s headquarters since 11am.
Zahid had previously been summoned five times by the MACC to assist its investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds involving Yayasan Akal Budi, to the tune of RM800,000.
On July 2, Zahid was summoned for the first time to give his statement on the case, in which the charity body’s funds were allegedly used to pay his and his wife’s credit card bills.
A day later, he was summoned to MACC again, where he spent seven hours being questioned. Zahid had told reporters that there was no wrongdoing on his part with regards to the funds.
He said the incident was due to a mistake made by one of his officers, who had used the charity’s funds to make the payment instead of using a personal cheque.
Zahid said he had already explained the matter to the MACC, and the repayment was made in full to the charity back in 2016.
However, Zahid was called to the MACC for three days in a row, from Oct 10 to 12, to provide his statement on the same issue.
Also called up were his daughter Datuk Nurulhidayah; his brother Datuk Seri Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi; and son-in-law Datuk Saiful Nizam Mohd Yusoff .
MACC had also previously summoned him to assist its investigation into claims that he had met with members of the Saudi royalty, who had allegedly deposited RM2.6 billion into the personal account of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.