PETALING JAYA: An aide to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed a claim that Zahid will not defend his Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat in the 15th general election (GE15).
Asked to confirm a Sinar Harian report which said Zahid would not contest in the Nov 19 polls, the aide sent FMT a screenshot of the report with the word “Fake” over it.
“Nothing yet,” said the aide when asked if Zahid had any comments on the report.
“Maybe he will comment on this after today’s event in Kuala Terengganu,” added the aide, referring to a Barisan Nasional (BN) rally.
The report said that Zahid, who has been the Bagan Datuk MP since 1995, would not contest again as he did not want opposition parties to use the “issues surrounding him” to their advantage while campaigning.
The report also said Zahid’s daughter, Nurulhidayah, would contest the seat instead.
In September, Zahid was acquitted of 40 charges of receiving bribes from a company to extend its foreign visa system contract after the court ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the former deputy prime minister and home minister.
However, he still faces 35 charges for money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving millions from Yayasan Akalbudi and for accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister.
