We brought SDs to meeting with Dr M, says Zahid

(FMT) – Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reportedly dismissed claims that he brought court documents to show former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as alleged by a Mahathir aide yesterday.

“The party presidents who attended the meeting brought SDs (statutory declarations) and not court documents,” he was quoted as saying in a posting on Facebook today. “I came with the mandate from Umno members and leadership, nothing more than that.”

The remarks were also posted on his Twitter account.

Zahid said the meeting was held to propose that Mahathir establish a unity government without DAP, PKR and Amanah. The meeting was attended by leaders of six Malay-based parties.

Yesterday, a press secretary to Mahathir said Zahid had brought some documents as though to show Mahathir that he was not guilty of corruption charges. The aide wrote in a Facebook posting that Mahathir had said to let the court decide. Zahid faces 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, bribery and money laundering involving millions of ringgit.

The aide’s remarks were made about a photograph circulating online which shows Mahathir with leaders of six parties who had gathered after a meeting of the PPBM Supreme Council on Feb 23.

Those shown in the photograph were Zahid, PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Abang Johari Openg, Warisan president Shafie Apdal, PKR’s then deputy president, Mohamed Azmin Ali and GPS chief whip Fadillah Yusof.

The picture has been circulating online with a claim that Mahathir had wanted Malay political leaders to be reunited, and that Mahathir had never mentioned not wanting to work en bloc with Umno.

The meeting was held before the so-called Sheraton Move which brought together MPs from Umno, PAS, PPBM and some from PKR, and which led to the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government and the formation of a new government led by Muhyiddin in an alliance between PPBM with Umno-BN, PAS and others.