Lead defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said an application would be filed to convert the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) previously granted to Zahid into a discharge amounting to an acquittal (DAA).

“We will soon be filing an application in the Court of Appeal to obtain the DAA,” he told FMT in response to the case being classified as requiring no further action (NFA) by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

Hisyam said the AGC’s decision indicated that the prosecution no longer intended to proceed with the trial.

Trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah granted Zahid a DNAA in 2023 on 47 charges of corruption, money laundering and criminal breach of trust to allow the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to conduct further investigations.

Today, the AGC said it found insufficient evidence to proceed with the charges following MACC’s probe.

Meanwhile, a senior lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was imperative that Zahid be granted a full acquittal.

“The present DNAA status allows the prosecution to revive the case against him at any time,” he said.