KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has claimed trial to four counts of abuse of power amounting to RM232.5 million in relation to the Jana Wibawa programme and two counts of money laundering worth RM195 million at the Sessions Court here today.
The Pagoh Member of Parliament, Muhyiddin 75, pleaded not guilty to all the charges before judge Azura Alwi.
Muhyiddin is the second prime minister to be charged after Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who was charged and convicted of similar offences previously.
The Perikatan Nasional chairman is alleged to have abused his power under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 while the money laundering charges under Section 4(1) (b) Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2002 (Amla).
Muhyiddin who is also the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman is alleged to have committed four cases of abuse of power offences at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya between 8th Feb. and 20th Aug. 2021.
For the first charge, he is said to have used his office to obtain an RM200,000 bribe from a company for his party.
The second count, Muhyiddin is alleged to have received RM1 million for his party from Nepturis Sdn. Bhd.
In the third charge, Muhyiddin is alleged to have received RM19.5 million from Mamfor Sdn. Bhd. and for the fourth count, he is accused of accepting RM12 million from businessman Azman Yusoff.
Under Section 23 of the MACC Act, the offence of using one’s office or position for gratification carries a penalty of up to 20 years jail and a fine five times the value of gratification involved or RM10,000 whichever is higher.
For the first money laundering charge, Muhyiddin is alleged to have received RM120 million from the company mentioned in the first power abuse charge which was then deposited into Bersatu’bank account in CIMB.
For the second charge, he is accused of accepting RM75 million also from the same company which was alleged to be deposited into the party’s account.
The two offences were allegedly committed at CIMB’s KL Sentral branch between 8th Feb. 2020 and 16th July 2021.
Meanwhile, Section 4(1)(b) of the Amla refers to the offence of “acquiring, receiving, possessing, disguising, transferring, converting, exchanging, carrying, disposing or using the proceeds of unlawful activity.
It carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail and a fine five times the value of the proceeds at the time the offence was committed or RM5 million whichever is greater.
Muhyiddin was allowed bail of RM2 million in two sureties and judge Azura ordered his passport to be impounded.
The case will be mentioned on 26th May 2023.
The prosecution was led by Solicitor–General Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh, deputy public prosecutors Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin and Ahmad Akram Gharib while the eighth prime minister was represented by lawyers K.Kumaraendran, Rosli Dahlan, Chetan Jethwani and Takiyuddin Hassan. –Malaysia World News
