In an Instagram post, Nurul Hidayah Zahid included a video of her father being moved to the operating theatre to undergo surgery.

The High Court was told today that Zahid would not be attending the proceedings as he had been hospitalised for surgery due to a fall last week.

Lawyer Hisyam Teh said: “The doctor said he is not fit to attend court … As far as the defence is concerned, we are ready to proceed. We don’t want to be accused of any delays.”

Nurul this evening denied what she called slanderous reports that her father was “resting” in hospital to avoid going to court.

“This is the video I took this morning when he was sent to the operating theatre. I felt moved to record him quietly without his knowledge because I knew it would be evidence for the public when the time came,” she wrote.

“Being sick is not something we can make up,” she said.

Zahid is facing 47 charges of alleged criminal breach of trust involving funds from his Yayasan Akalbudi foundation, money laundering, and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister.

The court is scheduled to hear submissions at the end of the prosecution’s case today and from Sept 6 to 9.