COMMENT | After stepping out of the dock following his acquittal on corruption charges in September 2022, the first few words Umno chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had for the media were: “I had faith in the judiciary since day one of this trial.”

He faced 40 corruption charges involving the foreign visa system (VLN) contract and was cleared without his defence being called.

For political expediency, he also credited BN and Umno's “struggle” for his acquittal - whatever it was meant.

In January last year, he thundered: “We demand that he is given justice in court. We demand that fair justice is given to (former prime minister) Najib (Abdul Razak),” to the applause of Umno delegates.

Ever since Najib came to Sungai Jelok and walked into the gates of the Kajang Prison in March last year, Zahid upped the...