Deputy Prime Minister cleared of graft charges by Malaysian court

A Malaysian court has dismissed 47 corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after prosecutors unexpectedly dropped the charges at an advanced stage of his trial. While Zahid was not granted a full acquittal and can still be recharged, he expressed gratitude that the "politically motivated accusations against me have ended." Zahid's dismissal has sparked criticism and raised concerns about the anti-corruption stance of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government, with opposition leaders alleging that Zahid's support for Anwar influenced the dropping of charges. The court ruling comes amid recent gains by the opposition bloc in local elections and follows Zahid's previous indictment on charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and bribery.