PETALING JAYA: A DAP leader has challenged Khairy Jamaluddin to state his position on Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s 47 discontinued charges in the Yayasan Akalbudi case.
DAP central committee member Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali asked whether Khairy applied the same principles of accountability to political allies, after the former Umno Youth chief spoke up against defending wrongdoing, even involving leaders of his own party.
Sheikh Umar praised Khairy for saying that wrongdoing should not be tolerated, but asked whether the former MP took the same stance on the charges previously faced by Zahid, who is also a deputy prime minister.
In a Facebook post, the senator said Khairy’s past defence of former prime minister Najib Razak regarding the 1MDB scandal raised questions about his consistency.
He said the Umno man only became more vocal in criticising Najib after Barisan Nasional lost power in 2018.
"Now, it would be good for KJ to answer my question. What is his position on the case involving Zahid?" Sheikh Omar said.
He added that Khairy should clarify his position to avoid being seen as someone whose principles change according to personal or political interests.
On Tuesday, Khairy told the International Young Future Leaders Summit that wrongdoing must never be defended, even if it involves leaders of his party, Umno.
The former minister said political loyalty should not come before integrity, stressing that allegations of wrongdoing and mismanagement must be addressed.
He was responding to a student who raised concerns about corruption and public donations and support for Najib.
Zahid had faced 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering linked to Yayasan Akalbudi, and was ordered to enter his defence.
In September 2023, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal pending further investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
In January, the Attorney-General's Chambers said the case was classified as requiring no further action, or NFA.