KUALA LUMPUR (June 17): UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said his meeting with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on June 7, 2018 concerned UMNO and not purportedly his criminal case.

Ahmad Zahid said how he could have met Dr Mahathir to discuss his criminal case when at the time he had not yet been charged or investigated with any offence.

The UMNO president in his reply to Dr Mahathir's defence said he met the former statesman at Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana during the month of Ramadan.

"[Dr] Mahathir wanted me, as UMNO president, to disband UMNO and for all UMNO members of parliament (MPs) and assemblymen to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. There was no discussion about my case.

"How could there be discussion about my case when I was not investigated then or had been charged," Ahmad Zahid said in reply to Dr Mahathir's defence, filed by Messrs Shahrul, Hamidi & Haziq on May 31, adding that he would show this at the course of his defamation trial.

In April, Ahmad Zahid filed a defamation suit against Dr Mahathir, who claimed during the Johor state election that the UMNO president had met him to discuss his criminal case.

Ahmad Zahid noted that he, along with several UMNO leaders — his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, vice-presidents Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid — met Mahathir on Sept 13, 2018 at Yayasan Perdana.

"The meeting was held at the request of UMNO grassroots supporters who wanted a change in the direction of the party. At the meeting, Dr Mahathir once again wanted me to disband UMNO and for UMNO MPs and assemblymen to join Bersatu.

"I did not bring up my criminal case. How could I bring up the issue of my criminal case during the meeting in front of all the UMNO senior leaders and UMNO Supreme Council members?" Ahmad Zahid added.

Furthermore, Ahmad Zahid said he had not yet been charged of any offence or called to assist investigation on Sept 13, 2018.

Hence, he denied Dr Mahathir's defence of justification, fair comment or qualified privilege defence.

Ahmad Zahid said what Dr Mahathir claimed during the Johor state election was directed to smear his reputation.

Dr Mahathir, in his defence, listed Ahmad Zahid as having met him on several occasions on June 6 and Sept 13, 2018 at Perdana Leadership Foundation; Feb 23 and Feb 24, 2020 at his residence at Mines Resort; and Feb 25, 2020 at the Prime Minister's Office.

"In those meetings, it is true that Ahmad Zahid did mention his court cases. Those things happened. Hence, such statement should not be considered as defamatory," he said, adding that there was no mala fide or ill intention in him making the comments on Feb 23 this year that resulted in the suit being filed against him.

Ahmad Zahid further claimed in his reply to the former premier's defence that the latter was twisting the facts to confuse the court.

Ahmad Zahid maintained that he had never asked or attempted to have his criminal proceedings removed in any way and that he was willing to clear his name in court.

The hearing of the injunction application sought by Ahmad Zahid against Dr Mahathir has been fixed for July 6.