Zahid Hamidi admits flew to Saudi on private jet
(The Malaysian Insider) – Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confessed today he flew to Saudi Arabia for his haj in a private jet but says his friend owns it.
The defence minister was responding to allegations he owned the aircraft.
Several bloggers had accused him of graft, questioning how he could afford a jet on his government income.
Ahmad Zahid is the second member of the Cabinet to come under public scrutiny in recent weeks following the Auditor-General’s report last month.
Earlier Women, Family and Community Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil came under attack for power abuse after the country’s top auditor revealed her husband and children were involved in the National Feedlot Corporation, a multimillion ringgit government cattle farming project, and messed it up.
In a text message to The Malaysian Insider today, Ahmad Zahid confessed to jetting to Mecca for the haj recently.
“Yes it’s true, but I only hitched a ride. Coincidentally he too was performing the haj,” he said.
“Is that wrong?” he shot back.
According to the claims spread through emails, Ahmad Zahid had first flown to Mecca to meet his wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis who had gone gone ahead to Saudi Arabia. Both of them then boarded the private jet to Jeddah.
