KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 2): The corruption trial of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi did not go on as planned on Wednesday (Aug 2) at the High Court, as the deputy prime minister needed to attend a Cabinet meeting. 

Zahid’s defence lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said that they had applied to judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah in the morning for the postponement but confirmed that the trial will continue on Thursday (Aug 3). 

“We applied for an adjournment this morning because Datuk Zahid has a Cabinet meeting; the court allowed it. We will continue tomorrow,” he told reporters at the court here. 

The trial was supposed to continue with witness Datuk Rosiah Osman, who served as Zahid’s secretary from January 1994 until her mandatory retirement in December 2011, as the prosecution lawyers were supposed to start cross-examining her.

Rosiah had started taking the stand on Monday (July 31). 

The set dates for the trial which were previously agreed by the court are: Aug 1 to 3, Aug 7 to 10, Aug 21 to 24, Sept 4 to 8, Oct 30 to 31, Nov 13 to 17, Nov 20 to 24, and Dec 11 to 15.

Zahid, who is also Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman, is facing 47 charges.

Of the 47 charges, 12 are for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight for corruption, and 27 for money laundering, involving RM31 million of Yayasan Akalbudi funds — a charity which he had started. 

For the 12 CBT charges, Zahid is alleged to have used the funds to make payments for personal credit cards, insurance policies and licences for his personal vehicles, remittances to a law firm, and contributions to the Royal Malaysian Police football association.

The charges, under Section 409 of the Penal Code, each carries a maximum of 20 years in jail, whipping and fine.