PAS must clarify if it can accept Zahid as PM, says Amanah man
PAS must clarify if it can accept Zahid as PM, says Amanah man
Amanah vice-president Mahfuz Omar says the Islamic party previously questioned Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s appointment as deputy prime minister when he was facing his corruption charges.
Commenting on a recent prediction by analyst Ong Kian Ming that Zahid could become the 11th prime minister with the support of Sabah and Sarawak coalitions, Mahfuz said this raised questions about whether PAS was prepared to accept a Zahid premiership.
He said PAS had previously questioned Zahid’s appointment as deputy prime minister during the early stages of the formation of the unity government when he was facing 47 charges related to the Yayasan Akalbudi case.
Mahfuz said Perikatan Nasional, of which PAS is a component party, had also criticised Zahid’s appointment over his legal issues.
“Today, the same person is being touted as a future prime minister should the Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional pact win the next general election (GE16),” he said in a statement.
“Those 47 charges were an issue back then when Zahid wanted to be deputy prime minister. Are those charges no longer an issue now if Zahid is to become prime minister?
“PAS should clarify if it has changed its position. If PAS is prepared to accept Zahid as prime minister, it should explain to the public the basis for its consideration.
“If it is not prepared to do so, it should explain how Umno and PAS intend to form a government and determine who will be prime minister.”
Mahfuz also asked whether Malaysians were ready to have Zahid lead the country, noting that the legal issues surrounding the Yayasan Akalbudi case had not been fully resolved as he was only granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA).
He also pointed out that the Court of Appeal had allowed the Malaysian Bar to challenge Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar’s decision to grant Zahid a DNAA.
The Federal Court is scheduled to hear on Oct 8 the applications by Zahid and Dusuki for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision allowing the Bar’s challenge.
“So the people need to ask: What standards do we want for the position of prime minister of Malaysia?
“This is not about punishing someone before the judicial process is completed. This is about trust, transparency and standards of national leadership.
“The people need to know who will lead the nation, their track record, principles and public policies, as well as the standards that will be applied in determining who is qualified for the post of prime minister,” Mahfuz said.
Zahid was granted a DNAA on all 47 charges involving alleged criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering linked to Yayasan Akalbudi, pending further investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
In January, the Attorney-General’s Chambers announced that the case had been classified as requiring no further action.
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