AGC Opposes Malaysian Bar’s Bid to Challenge Zahid’s NFA Ruling

The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has formally filed an objection to the Malaysian Bar’s application for leave to initiate a judicial review concerning the decision to grant a No Further Action (NFA) status in the graft case involving Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

Federal counsel Nurhafizza Azizan, representing the AGC, presented the objection during case management proceedings before High Court Judge Alice Loke Yee Ching. The legal challenge stems from the Bar’s attempt to overturn a decision announced on January 8, 2026, which effectively halted the prosecution of 47 charges related to criminal breach of trust, corruption, and money laundering.

In its application filed on April 7, the Malaysian Bar named the Attorney General and Ahmad Zahid as the first and second respondents, respectively. The Bar contends that the NFA decision was made without proper authority and seeks a court declaration to invalidate the move. This application followed the Bar’s previous efforts to appeal a June 27, 2024, High Court decision that had initially dismissed its bid to challenge the case’s status.

The AGC’s decision to issue the NFA in January followed a review of what the chambers described as new evidence. At the time, the AGC stated that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had conducted further detailed investigations into the procurement, source, and utilization of the Yayasan Akalbudi funds before arriving at the conclusion to discontinue the charges.

The legal proceedings remain multifaceted. In a separate but related development, Nurhafizza indicated that the AGC is moving to file for leave to appeal to the Federal Court. This move targets a May 7 Court of Appeal decision that had granted the Malaysian Bar the right to proceed with its appeal against the earlier High Court ruling.

The High Court has yet to deliver a final determination on the Bar’s current application for leave to initiate the judicial review.