Good manners should be reciprocated, Zahid says after appearance at DAP convention

Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says good manners should be reciprocated, following his historic attendance at the 2023 DAP convention yesterday.

Zahid, who is also the Umno president, said he was merely accepting DAP’s invitation and was surprised by the enthusiastic response he received from delegates at the convention in Putrajaya.

"At the last Umno general assembly, (DAP secretary-general) Anthony Loke also turned up. The ‘authentic' loud applause just now surprised me. I hope there won’t be all sorts of interpretations," he told reporters after closing the Malaysia Next Leaders 2023 programme in Bagan Datuk yesterday.

Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, was the first Umno president to attend a DAP convention. The two parties were political rivals for more than 60 years but are now partners in the coalition government.

Also present at the DAP event were BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir and Umno secretary-general Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. 

When asked about the plan by Perikatan Nasional (PN) Youth for a gathering in Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Day to protest the High Court’s decision on his case, Zahid said the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) would be conducting more comprehensive investigations into the representation he made on the 47 charges in his Yayasan Akalbudi case.

"Demonstrations can be held every day but what is the effect? Any parties disputing the DNAA (discharge not amounting to acquittal) should wait for the AGC's decision," he said.

The AGC had said that the department, together with investigative bodies, was still studying new evidence related to the Yayasan Akalbudi case.

Attorney-General Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh said any decision on whether to charge Zahid again or otherwise would be made by the AGC after a more thorough and comprehensive investigation.

Following an application by the deputy public prosecutor, the court granted Zahid the DNAA on all 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.