PETALING JAYA: The discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s Yayasan Akalbudi case may be a double-edged sword for the unity government, says a political analyst.
Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said the DNAA would strengthen the unity government as Zahid would have more control over Umno without the looming spectre of criminal charges.
As a result, he said, it is likely that Umno will remain part of the government.
“Those in the party who are against Zahid and those who are ambivalent about forming a unity government with PH overlap with one another.
“And they have been using Zahid’s criminal charges as an excuse to unseat him and perhaps bring Umno out of the unity government,” Oh told FMT.
On Monday, the High Court granted Zahid a DNAA on all 47 corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering charges.
This means that the prosecution is at liberty to continue with the case or bring a case against Zahid at any time in the future based on similar facts and evidence in the present case.
Previously, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faced criticism for appointing Zahid as his deputy despite the Umno president facing 47 charges at the time.
Oh said the DNAA is likely to tarnish the unity government’s reputation of being “squeaky clean”.
“The DNAA will then almost certainly affect the public’s trust towards Anwar himself as prime minister and the unity government,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said the DNAA will serve as ammunition for the opposition over time, turning it into evidence of government interference and hypocrisy.
Syaza said it is likely to create “awkwardness” in Pakatan Harapan’s relationship with its supporters.
“PH is about fighting corruption, bribery, kleptocracy etcetera. So now it (will become) awkward to convince their voters that they are (in) the same fight,” she said.