Zahid leaves MACC building after nine-hour interrogation

PUTRAJAYA: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has emerged from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building after enduring nine-hour interrogation.

The former deputy prime minister emerged from the MACC headquarters at 6.15pm, and warmly greeted the press gathered here.

When asked, Dr Ahmad Zahid confirmed that he would have to come back again on Friday (Oct 12) to continue giving his statement on the case.

He had arrived earlier in the morning at 9.15am.

This is the second time this week that Dr Ahmad Zahid had been summoned by the MACC over the Yayasan Akal Budi case, a family-run foundation of which he is chairman.

On Wednesday (Oct 10), Dr Ahmad Zahid was interrogated for eight hours by the MACC over alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the foundation.

His daughter Datuk Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid and brother Datuk Seri Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi also came to give their statements to investigators.

Although Nurulhidayah was not questioned today, she was seen at the MACC building waiting for her father.

Dr Ahmad Zahid was first questioned over the issue on July 3.

He was asked to explain why RM800,000 belonging to the foundation was used to pay off credit card bills of him and his wife.

He claimed that it happened because an aide mistakenly used the foundation's cheque to pay off the bills, but said that the amount had been already repaid to the foundation.

Dr Ahmad Zahid is the chairman of the foundation, which was set up by his family to receive and administer funds to help the poor as well as provide Islamic education.

The Bagan Datuk MP also had his statement recorded by the MACC on July 2, but that was believed to be on investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).