An acquittal and some vibrant statements of ‘justice’ being done is not enough for Umno and its President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to escape the full scrutiny of the voters in the next general elections, writes a Singapore news site, but it will be harder than we think since Zahid is still facing the Akalbudi case, which is different from the UKSB case.
James Chai, Visiting Fellow of the Malaysia Studies Programme at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore says Zahid’s strategy to use the UKSB acquittal as proof of his innocence, but it may not sit well with voters.
“In a 2020 survey, Merdeka Center found that 61 per cent of Malaysians agreed with Najib’s guilty verdict. Malay voters in UMNO’s strongholds in rural areas think likewise: A clear majority of 57 per cent agreed with the decision,” writes Chai.
