MACC arrests Ahmad Zahid over probe into foundation funds (Updated)

PUTRAJAYA: Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) minutes after he showed up at its headquarters here today.
The MACC confirmed that Ahmad Zahid was held at 3.15pm and will be taken to the Kuala Lumpur sessions court at 8am today to face several charges of misappropriating funds, power abuse and money laundering involving a welfare foundation Yayasan Akal Budi founded by him and his family.
The charges are under laws of the MACC Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA).
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid, who is Umno president, arrived at the commission's office at about 2.50pm with his family members and supporters before he met with investigators.
A group of about 50 supporters led by Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam also stayed on outside the MACC building and was later joined by Ahmad Zahid's wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis.
He had previously been called up for questioning four times by the commission and grilled for hours by investigators on July 2, July 3rd and again on Oct 10 and Oct 11.
A probe was initiated on Ahmad Zahid for utilising funds belonging to Yayasan Akal Budi to settle credit card payments for himself and his wife between 2014 and 2015.
The Umno president denied the allegations and claimed that his staff had wrongly used the foundation's cheques for the payments.
He also claimed that he had repaid the foundation.
Separately today, former premier Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak was also called up for further questioning by the MACC on a new probe initiated on the scandalous 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and its dealings with Abu Dhabi's state-owned company International Petroleum Investment Co (Ipic).
Najib turned up at the commission's headquarters here at 10am and was questioned until 1.30pm before being allowed to leave.
He was initially questioned on the case on Tuesday where he spent six hours with investigators.
The fresh probe is on a payment of more than US$1.2 million (RM5.04 billion) made to the Ipic by 1MDB in a settlement over a US$6.5 billion (RM27 billion) claim made by the latter.
The settlement was made after 1MDB had defaulted the interest payments on two bonds guaranteed by the Ipic in 2012 for the acquisition of two power plants.