In a shocking turn of events, a Malaysian court dismissed 47 corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after prosecutors unexpectedly dropped the charges at an advanced stage of his trial. While Zahid expressed gratitude that the politically motivated accusations against him have ended, the decision has sparked criticism and raised concerns about the anti-corruption stance of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government. Zahid, who heads the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), played a pivotal role in helping Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim form a unity government after last November's general election resulted in a hung Parliament.

Opposition leaders have alleged that Zahid supported Anwar to secure the dismissal of his charges, further eroding public trust in the government's commitment to fighting corruption. The court's ruling came shortly after local elections, during which the Islamist-Malay nationalist opposition bloc made significant gains in government-ruled states. Lead prosecutor Mohamad Dusuki Mokhtar explained that the charges against Zahid were temporarily halted to prevent any miscarriage of justice. Zahid had raised new issues and presented evidence in an appeal to the Attorney-General's Chambers, suggesting that his case had been rushed through and that he was a victim of selective prosecution by the previous government. The anti-graft agency will now conduct further investigations.

Zahid's lawyer, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, announced that the defense will apply for a full acquittal despite the court's ruling in January 2022, which had found the prosecutors had proven a case against Zahid, ordering him to enter his defense. The 70-year-old deputy prime minister was facing charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and bribery involving over 31 million ringgit ($6.7 million) from his family foundation. Prosecutors alleged that funds intended for charity were misappropriated for Zahid's personal use, including paying off his credit cards and shopping.

Critics have denounced the prosecutor's decision to withdraw the charges, asserting that it sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the fight against corruption. Former lawmaker and civil society reformist Maria Chin lamented that it was a sad day for democracy and tantamount to saying that corruption is acceptable. Opposition lawmaker Wan Saiful Wan Jan accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of sacrificing his credibility as a reformist and being willing to do anything to remain in power. This dismissal comes in the aftermath of the 2018 general election, which saw the long-ruling UMNO-led coalition lose power due to public anger over corruption.

The former prime minister, Najib Razak, was also charged in several graft cases and is currently serving a 12-year jail term after a failed appeal. With the dismissal of the charges against Zahid, concerns regarding Malaysia's commitment to combating corruption have resurfaced, further highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in the country's political landscape.