KUALA LUMPUR: A doctor who attended to Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the High Court that it was “possible” for the Umno president to attend court proceedings on Sept 6 for the submissions in his corruption trial.
Dr Mohd Shahir Anuar said this after Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah asked him if Ahmad Zahid was fit to attend the proceedings, given his current medical condition.
Ahmad Zahid, 68, is currently at the Avisena Specialist Hospital in Shah Alam for treatment following a fall.
Dr Mohd Shahir said Ahmad Zahid would ideally need four weeks to recover from a pain intervention procedure (PIP) performed yesterday to ease pain from a slipped disc.
This had caused Ahmad Zahid to miss his court date yesterday, which was initially scheduled for submissions in his case.
Justice Sequerah: But would it be possible, if in two weeks, he comes here just to sit, and there will be breaks in between.
Dr Mohd Shahir: Possible. Not longer than 40 minutes (for each sitting).
The doctor appeared at Ahmad Zahid’s trial yesterday following a subpoena issued on him as the judge required him to explain Ahmad Zahid’s medical situation.
According to the doctor, Ahmad Zahid informed him that he (Ahmad Zahid) slipped in the bathroom on Aug 18.
“He basically had severe neck pain and thoracic pain. As mentioned in my medical report, he already had a cervical slipped disc before which was operated on in Munich, Germany,” Dr Mohd Shahir said.
He said Ahmad Zahid was not able to sit in a static posture for more than 45 minutes.
Called to court: Dr Mohd Shahir arriving at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur where he explained Ahmad Zahid’s medical issues. — Bernama
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran, however, said Ahmad Zahid went to see the King a day after the alleged fall.
She also said Ahmad Zahid was present at the Prime Minister’s swearing-in ceremony on Aug 21.
“I watched it (the ceremony) from start to finish, your patient was there.
“The pain he described to you did not prevent him from driving or to be driven all the way to Istana Negara and he sat there at least one hour or more until the closing of the ceremony.
“That kind of pain could not have prevented him, or did not prevent him,” she said.
DPP Raja Rozela: I put it to you, he (Ahmad Zahid) is actually malingering because he has been seen by the whole nation... Basically he is able to walk, he is able to sit, able to go around to the Palace as normal.
Dr Mohd Shahir: I disagree. As doctors, we have to trust our patient. Unless I don’t do anything, like MRI or scans.
At one point, Ahmad Zahid’s lawyer Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal asked the doctor to check on the wooden bench in the accused dock to see whether it was suitable for the patient.
“It is not suitable for patients with back pain to sit on,” Dr Mohd Shahir said.
He suggested that Ahmad Zahid be given a padded chair.
The court then ordered for the Sept 6 date to be maintained for submissions in the case.
Ahmad Zahid is on trial for a total of 47 charges, 12 of which are for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight for bribery and 27 for money laundering involving millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.