KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 -- Bagan Datuk MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi pled not guilty today to seven charges of receiving S$4.24 million (RM12.91 million) in bribes in relation to the contract extensions of both the Overseas Visa System and One Stop Centre in China.

The former deputy prime minister - who was also in charge of the Home Ministry under the Najib administration - was charged under Section 16 (a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 before Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi.

He is accused of receiving the kickbacks from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd, the contractor who managed the One Stop Centre in China and Overseas Visa System, in exchange for extending its contract - an offence punishable under Section 24(1...