Former, current AGs to be called up by select committee to explain Zahid’s DNAA

“Proceedings will be carried out yet he (Shahidan Kassim) still wants to bring this up in Parliament.

(MSN News) – Former attorney general Tan Sri Idrus Harun will be called in by the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform to explain the outcome of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s graft cases.

This was revealed by Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tong who is a member of the PSSC.

“We have agreed to call in the former attorney general and Arau (Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim), who is also a member of this PSSC knows this.

“Proceedings will be carried out yet he still wants to bring this up in Parliament.

“Everyone knows yet he still says he doesn’t know. Speaker, this is the latest update on the situation,” he said.

This came after Shahidan (PN-Arau) questioned the status of the emergency motions filed by Perikatan Nasional MPs on the outcome of Ahmad Zahid’s graft cases after the house was adjourned on Monday (Sept 11) despite Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul giving assurances for the matter to be raised after the 12th Malaysia Mid-Term Review (12MP MTR) was tabled.

Aside from Shahidan Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut) and Zahari Kechik (PN-Jeli) are also members in the same PSSC.

Shahidan, meanwhile, was adamant that he was unaware of the situation.

“We only heard whispers of this. They discussed this among themselves and suddenly mentioned it in the House.

“The people need an explanation,” he said.

To this, Khoo said the DNAA was not only discussed within the government bloc but also included Opposition MPs.

“Jeli, Besut and Arau are in the same PSSC and they know we are going to carry out this proceeding. Why are they trying to lengthen the issue?

“We are calling the AG to parliament,” he said.

PSSC chairman William Leong (PH-Selayang) confirmed this, saying both Idrus and current Attorney General Datuk Terrirudin Mohd Salleh would be called in.

“This is a matter of public interest. We will present the report once proceedings conclude,” he said.

It is learnt that the PSSC will present its findings in the next Parliament sitting.

Parliament is currently having a special sitting for the 12MP MTR beginning Monday (Sept 11) and ending on Sept 19.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru) asked why there was a delay when the Speaker had promised to allow Opposition MPs to read out the motion, at his own discretion.

Explaining, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said he had rejected the motion on the case as there was precedents.

“I rejected the motion because there were precedents.

“The precedent was in July, 2021, then Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun rejected two motions by Beruas (Ngeh Khoo Ham) and Port Dickson (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) under Standing Orders 18(1) to debate certain issues.

“At that time it was during the Emergency,” he said.

Johari, however, said he had given the Perikatan MPs space to raise the issue in the House.

“You have six days. You can say it out. I won’t stop when this issue is raised,” he said.

He clarified that they can do so after the debates on the 12MP MTR, adding that it did not have to be on the first day of the sitting.

On Friday (Sept 8), Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal filed an emergency motion for the Attorney General to explain the decision to grant Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in Parliament.

On Sept 4, Ahmad Zahid was granted a DNAA for 47 graft charges related to Yayasan Akalbudi funds.