Did Zahid abuse his position for personal gain?

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Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Denies Abusing Position for Personal Gain in VLN Trial

The defence for Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has vehemently rejected allegations that he abused his position as home minister to gain personal benefits through bribes. During the opening of his trial concerning the Foreign Visa System (VLN), his legal team argued that Zahid never took advantage of his ministerial role or profited financially during his tenure from May 2013 to May 2018.
Defence Contends UKSB's Contract Not Awarded Under Zahid's Ministry

A central argument from Zahid's defence is that Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) was not appointed as a contractor to the government during the period he served as the home minister. They asserted that there was consequently no compelling reason for UKSB to offer bribes to Zahid at that time, directly challenging the prosecution's premise that bribes were paid as an inducement for contract maintenance or extension.
Prosecution Alleges Bribes for Contractual Favours

The prosecution's opening statement, delivered by Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran, contended that Zahid accepted bribes totaling S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from UKSB. These alleged payments were presented as inducements for Zahid to maintain or extend UKSB's contract for the Foreign Visa System (VLN) and related services provided to the Home Ministry. Zahid faces 33 charges for accepting these bribes, alongside 33 alternative charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code and seven charges for accepting cash in various currencies.
Defence Claims "Character Assassination" and "Selective Prosecution"

Zahid's legal team described the charges as an attempt at "character assassination" and labelled the prosecution as a case of "selective prosecution." They indicated their readiness to challenge the testimonies of the 20 prosecution witnesses who are expected to testify throughout the trial. The defence's stance is that the criminal charges are politically motivated rather than based on substantive evidence of wrongdoing.

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Did Zahid abuse his position for personal gain?

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