PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has given the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) until Sept 9 to decide on two representations by Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the appeal against his acquittal in the foreign visa system (VLN) corruption case.
Justice Hadhariah Syed Ismail, who chaired a three-judge panel here on Monday (March 18), said the prosecution must make a decision on the representations, whether to proceed with its appeal or otherwise.
The judge sternly reminded the parties involved that there must be finality to the representations and said this would be the last adjournment by the court.
Earlier, the panel was informed by Ahmad Zahid's lead counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik that the defence was seeking an adjournment of the appeal hearing on the basis that the representations to the AGC have not been decided on.
His co-counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh also told the court that the defence needed more time to reply to the prosecution's extensive submissions.
"We need more time to canvas the issues and to reply to the submissions," he said.
He added that Ahmad Zahid had to chair a meeting at the Rural and Regional Development Ministry in the morning.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar said the prosecution had no objection to an adjournment as it also needed time to study the matter and give due consideration for both representations.
Hadhariah then told the parties that she had spent several days going through the appeal notes.
"I did not touch any other case because I wanted to focus so I can understand the entire case from A to Z.
"I also read the notes of the proceedings. It is very tiring to read it because it is voluminous.
"One witness' cross-examination can take days. There are hundreds if not thousands of pages to go through but I am a meticulous person.
"I'm not going to say much since the public prosecutor is also not objecting (to the adjournment)," she said.
The court then fixed the date to know the outcome of the representations.
The appeal is expected to proceed on the same date if the representations are dismissed by the AGC.
Other judges on the panel were Justices Azman Abdullah and SM Komathy Suppiah.
On Sept 23, 2022, the Shah Alam High Court acquitted and discharged Ahmad Zahid of all the charges after ruling that the prosecution had not made out a prima facie case against him.
The prosecution subsequently filed its notice of appeal to the Court of Appeal.
Ahmad Zahid then sent his first representation to the AGC in January last year for its consideration not to pursue the appeal.
He sent a second representation last month.
The Umno president and Deputy Prime Minister had pleaded not guilty to 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of a one-stop centre (OSC) service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain its contract with the Home Ministry to supply the VLN integrated system.
He allegedly committed the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya and Country Heights, Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.
He also claimed trial to 33 alternative charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, where he was charged in his capacity as then home minister with receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil in relation to the VLN system between 2014 and 2017.
For the other seven charges, he was alleged to have obtained for himself cash of S$1,150,000, RM3mil, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 from the same company, which he knew had a connection with his official functions.
Ahmad Zahid allegedly committed the offences at a house in Country Heights, Kajang between June 2015 and October 2017.
