Faktor politik sebalik gesaan semak semula kes Zahid, kata penganalisis

Recent political tensions between the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Barisan Nasional (BN) have sparked calls for a re-examination of Zahid Hamidi's case, according to political analysts. The DAP's youth wing recently urged the country's attorney-general to conduct a fresh review of the criminal conspiracy case against Umno president Zahid Hamidi, linked to the Akalbudi Foundation.

While Zahid's legal team has been granted conditional bail, the move has raised concerns among voters hoping for reform and sparked several questions. Syaza Shukri, a scholar from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, noted that, despite the legal justification for Zahid's conditional release, it still concerns voters who expect reform and triggers some questions.

For instance, she questioned whether DAP is applying pressure equally when cooperating with Barisan Nasional (BN) in maintaining national unity. This issue is significant given the strained relationship between BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) following the recent BN decision to field candidates alone or with independents in the upcoming state election.

Syaza believes that the current DAP's pressure might indicate that PH may not be able to rely on BN support in future. The party's senior vice-chairperson, Ramkarpal Singh, has urged an explanation when the Akalbudi case was classified as non-cognizable (NFA) earlier this year. The renewed pressure could reinforce the perception that friendship with a foreign ally is a stronger motivating factor when a close ally becomes a political issue, she added.

While some may view the DAP's pressure as premature, it could damage DAP's reputation if they fail to speak up earlier. This, Syaza believes, can be minimized if DAP acknowledges they should have raised the issue earlier. "DAP has consistently demanded integrity in cases involving BN, PH, or opposition leaders; thus, its credibility hinges on whether the same standard is applied regardless of the party," she stated.

The youth wing urged the attorney-general to re-examine Zahid's case, citing the current tensions between PH and BN. However, Chin Yee Mun from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman sees this as a logical step given the existing tension between PH and BN. He worries about the impact of this pressure on DAP's base supporters, who might view it as a strategic move but not a sincere one, questioning why it was not raised earlier.

James Chin from the University of Tasmania suggests that the DAP's pressure could alienate many supporters, particularly those concerned about the deputy prime minister's acquisition of a DNAA for all 47 charges. He believes this pressure is driven by the perception that Umno wants to dismantle DAP and the entire PH government. Chin does not see this as the end of the road; instead, he sees it as a warning that no party can afford to weaken DAP.

However, Syaza sees this as an opportunity for DAP to signal the end of their relationship with Umno, but the youth wing typically takes a firm stance on testing political responses without involving central leadership. She views this as a strategic distancing and an attempt to restore DAP's image as a reformist party, rather than a final declaration of separation.