Malaysian opposition leader held for money laundering

Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Pic/AFP

Malaysia's opposition leader was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of corruption, a fresh blow to his party which was ousted at elections this year after six decades in power.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a former deputy premier and ally of scandal-mired ex-leader Najib Razak, was detained after being questioned by anti-corruption authorities. He will be charged Friday.

Ahmad Zahid was arrested in "relation to an investigation into abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering", the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said. It gave no further details but local media reported that he was accused of misappropriating 800,000 ringgit (USD 190,000) from a foundation he chairs to settle credit card payments in 2014 and 2015. He is head of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the lynchpin in a coalition of parties that ruled Malaysia from independence in 1957 until their shock defeat in May polls.

The UMNO has been on the ropes since, with many coalition partners abandoning a party that had become synonymous with widespread graft and a rotten ruling elite. Najib has also been arrested and charged over allegations he oversaw the plundering of state fund 1MDB, a scandal that played a major part in the election defeat.

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