KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — DAP secretary general Anthony Loke today called on Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun to explain the prosecution’s application for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at a late stage in his Yayasan Akalbudi trial.

Loke said that while the DAP respects the court’s process and decision, an open explanation is needed for the sake of justice and accountability.

"This explanation is important to ensure the confidence of the public and the international community in the country's legal system is always preserved.

"DAP will also always uphold the principle of separation of power between judicial, executive and legislative branches and ensure there is no executive intervention in any court case,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook account.

He pointed out that the issue is of great public interest and that many people had aired their views openly on the Umno president’s case since yesterday.

Zahid had been accused of dishonestly misappropriating RM31 million from the charitable organisation he founded, Yayasan Akalbudi.

He had been hit with 47 charges comprising 27 counts of money laundering, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust, and eight counts of bribery charges of over RM21.25 million in alleged bribes.

The High Court granted the DNAA order for Zahid after the prosecution applied for it yesterday, saying it would not continue the Yayasan Akalbudi trial.

A DNAA means an accused person can face trial for the same charges in the future if the prosecution decides to reinstate them.

The defence had pushed for a full acquittal, but was refused by the High Court.