KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s trial over corruption charges involving RM225.3 million and money laundering charges involving RM200 million started today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, three years after he was charged in relation to his administration’s Jana Wibawa project.
In Muhyiddin’s trial, the prosecution in its opening statement today acknowledged that the millions of ringgit in this case “did not enter his own pockets”.
But the prosecution said these funds had allegedly entered the account of Muhyiddin’s “associate”, namely his political party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
The prosecution said this allegedly took place when Muhyiddin was Bersatu president and when he was the prime minister then with an indirect interest in the Jana Wibawa project.
“Evidence will show that if not for the accused being the Bersatu president and also the prime minister of Malaysia at the same time then, the Bersatu party would not get millions in ringgit in contributions,” the prosecution said.
The prosecution said it would show the finance minister then had only acted based on Muhyiddin’s minutes and the finance minister did not receive any profits from that action, and that the finance minister’s associate, namely Umno, also did not obtain any gain.
Bersatu president Muhyiddin, wearing a brown jacket, was seen entering the courtroom at 8.43am along with some of his supporters.
In this trial, Muhyiddin is facing four abuse of power charges under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which were allegedly committed during the March 2020 to August 2021 period.
The four charges alleged that Muhyiddin used his position as Malaysia’s then prime minister and as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president to obtain bribes totalling RM225.3 million from three companies and one individual (Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd and Azman Yusoff) for his “associate”, namely his party Bersatu.
Muhyiddin is also facing three money-laundering charges, where he is alleged to have received illegal proceeds amounting to RM120 million and RM75 million that were deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB account during the February 2021 and July 2022 period, and also alleged of receiving RM5 million in illegal proceeds that were deposited into Bersatu’s AmBank account.
Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu and Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali were among those who were present in the courtroom today to show support to Muhyiddin.
MORE TO COME
Malay Mail – Malaysia
