KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 19): Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has claimed trial over the 45 charges pressed against him today.

Clad in red batik, Zahid, who is also former home minister, had the charges read to him in front of Session Court Judge Azura Alwi at around 9.30am.

The prosecution is led by DPP and former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram — who was appointed by attorney-general Tommy Thomas in August to handle 1MDB-linked cases.

Zahid's defense is led by prominent defense lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, who recently made headlines for leading the defense in the murder case of Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un.

Gopal requested a bail of RM2 million, which the defense requested to be split into two tranches, today and by Nov 2, 2018.

On that, Gopal pointed out that members of the Bar has questioned the application for staggered payments — which has become the practice of recent high-profile cases — and requested against it.

Judge Azura resolved with RM1 million bail due today and the balance by Oct 26. Case management has been set on Dec 14.

The first 10 charges underlined criminal breach of trust amounting to RM20.83 million held by family-managed foundation Yayasan Akal Budi under section 409 of the Penal Code, which entails a jail time of between two and 20 years as well as whipping and fine.

Zahid also faces eight charges of graft involving RM21.25 million, under Section 16(a)(B) MACC Act 2009, punishable with a maximum jail time of 20 years plus fine of RM10,000 or five times the bribe value, under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

Two of these charges involved bribe from Data Sonic Group Bhd worth RM6 million where Zahid, as home minister, helped the company secure a five-year passport chip supply contract under direct negotiation with the Home Ministry.

Three of these charges involved Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services where Zahid assisted the firm to secure projects linked with My E. G. Services Bhd under the purview of the home ministry.

He was also slapped with 27 charges under Section 4(1) of The Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLA) 2001.

These charges were relating to allegation of Zahid instructing deposits totalling RM59.28 million of unlawfully sourced funds in a bank account owned by Tetuan Lewis & Co, purchases of two bungalows in Hulu Langat worth RM5.9 million through the account, as well as one count of laundering RM6.89 million into 30 cheques.

Zahid's wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis and daughter were present when the charges were read against him.

Also spotted at the hearing were Umno leaders including former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, former ministers Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri and Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohammad Hassan, sec-gen Tan Sri Annuar Musa, youth chief Datuk Ashraf Wajdi Dusuki and supreme council member Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.

MACC deputy commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki was also present.

Outside the KL Court Complex, hundreds of Umno supporters and Zahid sympathisers gathered as a sign of solidarity, amid heavy police presence including several light strike force units.

Zahid is the second ex-deputy prime minister in Malaysian history to face criminal charges in court after Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy cases in 1998 and 2008.

His arrest follows five visits to the MACC headquarters for questioning since July, with his last yesterday ended with an overnight arrest there.

Zahid's court visit is the third high profile graft cases after that of former prime minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Najib is facing trial for 32 separate charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, money laundering and bribery involving over RM2 billion of 1MDB-linked funds.

Rosmah was slapped with 17 money laundering and tax evasion charges involving slightly over RM7 million.

Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN), which was chaired by Najib previously and now Zahid, was stripped of federal power on May 19 after losing Putrajaya to Pakatan Harapan in the 14th General Election.

It was the first ever electoral loss for BN at federal level since the coalition was formed.