Allegations on Ahmad Zahid’s wealth

Zahid: Only people with 'dirty minds' will believe I have RM230 million in assets [NSTTV]

By Manirajan Ramasamy - August 7, 2018 @ 5:42pm

KUALA LUMPUR: Denying allegation that he owned assets in the millions in the mid-90s, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he was never in the government at that particular time.

He said in 1996, he was not part of the government and was an ordinary MP as well as Umno Youth Chief.

"At that time, I was managing four public listed companies and I was also holding minority shares in these companies," he told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby, here, today.

Ahmad Zahid said he was the chief executive officer in one the companies, chairman and executive chairman to several other companies.

"Therefore, the assets must be in the form of shares and it can't be obtained for free as it involved a loan."

He also regarded those who believed he had RM230 million in assets in his bank account in 1996, as per the allegation, as having a 'dirty mind'.

The Umno president said he hoped some parties were now disappointed and sad after the allegation was dismissed as without proof in Parliament yesterday.

"Not only do I hope that MPs reject this wild allegation, but also Netizens, this is because Parliament already answered this in a written reply yesterday," Ahmad Zahid said.

Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong said there was no evidence Ahmad Zahid had RM230 million in assets.

He said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) would only investigate the allegation if there was evidence.

He said this in a parliamentary written reply to Bukit Gelugor member of parliament Ramkarpal Singh.

News portal Malaysiakini reported that Ramkarpal had asked if the government would investigate the allegation.

Allegations on Ahmad Zahid’s wealth surfaced in August last year when he was involved in a public spat with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Ahmad Zahid had accused Dr Mahathir of having Indian roots and offered an old version of the latter’s identity card as evidence.

Malaysiakini reported that Dr Mahathir had shot back by accusing Ahmad Zahid of making an asset declaration in 1996, which amounted to nine figures.

Dr Mahathir however admitted he did not have black and white proof on this.

At the time, Dr Mahathir was Umno president and Zahid was the Youth chief.

Following this, Ahmad Zahid accused Dr Mahathir of lying and welcomed investigations by MACC.