Dr. Mohd Shahir Anuar is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on August 25, 2021. —Picture by Firdaus Latif
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 25 – Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi did not “falsify” when he failed to attend a scheduled trial yesterday after being hospitalized for an alleged fall, a doctor told the High Court today.
During a subpoena hearing, Dr. Mohd Shahir Anuar of the prosecutor’s allegation that Ahmad Zahid “faked” his illness to avoid trial after complaining of severe “neck pain” after a fall at home last week after highlighting two of his cases official Visits to Istana Negara on August 19-21 following the alleged incident.
He was summoned to testify and help the court determine Ahmad Zahid’s current health.
He had previously informed the court that Ahmad Zahid was admitted to the hospital on May 22.
On August 19, Ahmad Zahid and other Barisan Nasional MPs had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
On August 21, Ahmad Zahid was again present at the swearing-in of the Prime Minister in the Istana Negara.
During the investigation, Deputy Prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran suggested Dr. Mohd Shahir suggested that his patient was in no pain and had no difficulty moving, as found during visits to Istana Negara after the fall on August 18.
Raja Rozela: I told you, Dr., that he was actually simulating and pretending to be sick to avoid going to court.
Because he didn’t see just one or two, I mean, he was basically seen by the nation that he can walk, he can sit, he can go to the palace as usual, as usual.
I told you that he was complaining and you are unable to see the true extent of his pain, I told you that he was actually mimicking.
Dr. Mohd Shahir: I do not agree. As a doctor, you have to trust your patient. Of course, I have to make sure this is really painful, so we do all research.
Dr. Mohd Shahir also said he had been made aware that Ahmad Zahid was taking pain medication on both occasions.
Dr. Mohd Shahir is a specialist in anesthesiology and intensive care medicine at the Avisena Specialist Hospital in Shah Alam, where Ahmad Zahid has been a regular patient since June 2020.
According to a notification of admission submitted to the court, Dr. Mohd Shahir stated that Ahmad Zahid slipped in his bathroom and landed on his bum on August 18th.
When he was admitted to hospital on August 22nd, Ahmad Zahid complained of severe neck and chest pain, made worse by a prolonged herniated disc (herniated disc) he had operated on a few years ago.
Dr. Mohd Shahir said Ahmad Zahid underwent perineural injection therapy (PIT) yesterday to relieve the pain in his nerves near his spine, which explained his absence in court.
PIT refers to a type of regenerative medicine that involves injecting a substance near the nerve to affect that nerve to relieve or eliminate pain and increase range of motion.
He further stated that he said the PIT was conducted just three days after Ahmad Zahid’s admission due to several underlying circumstances that needed to be stabilized prior to the trial.
He said he needed to stabilize Ahmad Zahid’s sugar levels because he was poorly controlled and that he was also taking drugs for Plavix – a blood-thinning drug – for an underlying heart problem.
Raising the need for a delay, he said there was a high risk of paralysis or uncontrolled bleeding if he did not stabilize his patient prior to performing PIT.
“It is not my intention to delay the trial,” he said.
Dr. Mohd Shahir was also asked by trial judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah what the ideal recovery period was, to which he replied between four and six weeks, but agreed that it was possible for Ahmad Zahid to advance within two weeks by prescribing pain medication Court to go.
Sequerah: In your opinion, if the patient were able to go to court on September 6th, just sit down and of course take a 10-15 minute break after 30 to 45 minutes, would they be able to take it?
Dr. Mohd Shahir: I would say Yang Arif too short, I would think four weeks.
Sequerah: All he has to do is sit down and say that he can take a break after a 40 minute break. He will not sit continuously. Would he be able to do that with pain killers?
Dr. Mohd Shahir: Most likely possible with pain killers.
After Dr. Mohd Shahir had made his testimony, Sequerah said that the trial date set for September 6 would be maintained and the hearing would continue in the hopes that Ahmad Zahid had recovered sufficiently.
Sequerah also said that precautions will be taken to report the defendant’s medical condition based on the advice of Dr. Mohd Shahir to meet, e.g.
The High Court is expected to hear the motions from September 6th to September 9th after the indictment is closed.
In the process, Ahmad Zahid – a former interior minister and currently the president of Umno – finds himself charged on 47 counts, namely 12 of criminal embezzlement in relation to the funds of the Yayasan Akalbudi charitable foundation, 27 of money laundering and in 8 cases of bribes.
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