KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today gave an insight into the political shenanigans that took place after Barisan Nasional (BN) was toppled from power in the 14th General Election, claiming that he had ended up sitting in the dock as he refused to play ball with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Umno president claimed he now faced 47 charges while other Umno Members of Parliament (MPs) who were threatened with similar criminal action had jumped ship after being convinced it would save them from prosecution.

Zahid did not hesitate to list three Umno MPs - from Masjid Tanah, Jeli and Bagan Serai - who were the first to abandon ship when threatened.

"I have all the facts and evidence about why they did it. Masjid Tanah, who is now a deputy minister, had misused party election funds, Jeli had also done the same.  

"He took RM30 million from election funds that had been given to him for logistics purposes and banked it into his wife's personal account.

"This is not hearsay...I have all the facts, documents and other evidence," he said without naming the individuals involved.

He then went on to name Bagan Seri MP Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, who left Umno in June 2018 to be an independent lawmaker before joining Parti Pribumi Bersatu (PPBM) in November that year.

Zahid said he had documents to show Noor Azmi had also abused election funds for the Bagan Serai constituency and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigations were set to commence.

"I have all the facts and evidence because I was already carrying out duties of the Umno president then," he said when testifying in his own defence from the witness stand.

He then continued to take aim at Dr Mahathir, claiming the former prime minister had forced him to dissolve Umno after BN was toppled from the seat of power following the party's disastrous performance in GE14.

Zahid, who is Bagan Datuk MP, said Dr Mahathir had threatened him to dissolve Umno or face the consequences.

"I was told he wanted to meet me and I did so in June 2018. He then demanded that I dissolve Umno or face the consequences.

"I refused to do what he wanted and in July the same year I was called in by the MACC. Then, in October I was charged and that is how I have ended up here now," he said, adding the sequence of events clearly showed that there was a political conspiracy against him.

Earlier, lead prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran objected to Zahid's testimony, arguing that it sounded like hearsay.

"It is merely for political assassination and should not be allowed," she said.

However, Zahid's lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik countered by saying the defence should be given latitude to expand their narrative on the political charges that had been levelled against his client.

"We have no intention to cast mischief or ill intention against anyone," he said.

Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah then said he would grant some leeway to the defence but ruled that the admissibility of Zahid's evidence would be decided later.

Zahid is facing 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, graft and money laundering involving charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi funds and he has been ordered to enter his defence against all charges.

The trial continues.