Move on, Zahid tells Dr M

Light moment: Dr Ahmad Zahid chatting with visitors at a booth during the opening ceremony of the bumiputera funds Outreach expo at Indera Mulia Stadium in Ipoh.

IPOH: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has told Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to move on after the explanation by the Saudi foreign minister over the RM2.6bil donation.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the matter – which had haunted the people, including Dr Mahathir – was now deemed over following Adel al-Jubeir’s confirmation last Friday that it was a genuine donation from Saudi Arabia to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, with nothing expected in return.

“We need to have a big heart to accept the explanation,” Dr Ahmad Zahid told reporters after launching the Bumiputra Fund Outreach Expo at the Indera Mulia Stadium yesterday.

“There should be a full stop to the issue, which has brought a lot of polemics.

“His (Dr Mahathir’s) own hidden agenda has seen his hatred overshadowing the reality of the matter,” he added.

On the Automated Enforcement System (AES), Dr Ahmad Zahid said the Cabinet had received a memorandum on its implementation.

He reiterated that AES should not be seen as a punitive measure but a preventive one.

“If we don’t want such punitive steps to be taken, then the people ought to change their driving behaviour and habits.

“I know there will be different opinions about it. Its implementation has been delayed too long,” he said.

It has been reported that the Transport Ministry hopes to finalise the concession agreement for the AES once the Bill to amend the Road Transport Act is tabled in Parlia­ment.

Armed Forces Fund Board and Conglomerate Boustead Holdings Bhd will take over the operation of the AES.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said he was embarrassed that Malaysia was one of the countries with the highest number of road accidents.

He noted that China, with over one billion people, had a lower rate of road fatalities than Malaysia.“Malaysia saw over 6,500 deaths in road accidents last year.

“We also recorded an average of 445,000 traffic accidents annually.

“In comparison, populous China recorded 40 deaths daily from accidents,” he said.