The Malaysian Insight

A SLEW of 40 new graft charges against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will not dampen party spirit, with PAS leaders saying they will forge ahead in the political cooperation with their former nemesis.

They are confident Zahid’s baggage won’t affect the alliance because it concerns an individual and not the party.

The parties are already preparing for talks on a joint charter that will be finalised next month, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said.

“The charges (against Zahid) won’t disrupt PAS and Umno’s cooperation. Furthermore, we don’t get involved in the affairs of another party,” Tuan Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insight.

Zahid was charged yesterday with seven counts of receiving bribes related to the awarding of a contract to a company to handle the foreign visa system. The sum involved was RM12.9 million.

He is expected to face another 33 charges today at the Shah Alam Sessions Court. He was previously slapped with 47 other graft charges.

PAS and Umno formally sealed their alliance at the former’s 65th annual congress last week, endorsed by members.

“Our cooperation does not involve personal cases, it is the individual who has to face them,” said PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan.

“We should not conflate personal issues with party issues,” the Kota Baru MP told The Malaysian Insight.

Umno leaders have also dismissed the charges, calling them attempts by Pakatan Harapan to distract Malaysians from the problems it faces running the country.

“These charges are expected. Only leaders of opposition parties are being brought to court, but PH leaders who have committed wrongdoing are not.”

The Umno leadership seemed equally undeterred.

“These charges are a separate matter from Umno’s cooperation with PAS,” said Jalaluddin Alias, an Umno Supreme Council member.

Perak Umno liaison chief Saarani Ahmad also said Zahid’s trials would have no impact on PAS and Umno’s efforts to unite Muslims.

“We are not talking about the unity of Zahid and (PAS president) Abdul Hadi (Awang). We are talking about unity between PAs and Umno.

“The charter of our cooperation is between the two parties. Whoever the leaders are, they will just have to follow,” Saarani said.

PAS youth chief Khairil Nizam said the Islamist party always believed that a person is innocent until proven guilty and holds the same for Zahid.

“Even though he has been charged, we should see how the court process goes. The people should not judge so quickly,” he said.

Khairil said PAS previously supported Anwar Ibrahim when he was first accused of sodomy in 1998 and later acquitted.

“Anwar was attacked but PAS was among the first to support him because he was not found guilty.

“Likewise, with others who have been charged, such as Najib Razak.” – June 27, 2019.