THE Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) says its decision to abandon four charges involving RM200 million against former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was based on a professional assessment that pursuing them could jeopardise the prosecution’s remaining case.
The AGC said the assessment considered the evidence, its admissibility, witness credibility, the prospects of proving the charges and the overall interests of the prosecution.
“The assessment showed that continuing with the charges posed real litigation risks, including the risk of undermining the strategy and evidential basis of other charges still faced by the accused,” it said in a statement issued late Tuesday.
The four charges comprised one count of abusing his position to obtain RM200 million and three money-laundering charges involving the same amount linked to Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd.
The AGC stressed that discontinuing the charges did not amount to an admission that they had been wrongly brought or a finding that the alleged transactions had not occurred.
It said prosecutorial decisions could be reassessed when the evidence as a whole, its admissibility, witness credibility and potential implications for other proceedings were considered.
“Such decisions must be made based on the law, evidence and the interests of the administration of justice,” it said.
“After taking into account all these factors, the department is of the view that continuing with the charges is no longer a fair and prudent prosecutorial step.”
The AGC added its role was not to defend individual charges “at all costs”, but to ensure that cases pursued were supported by sufficient evidence and could be effectively defended in court.
The clarification came after DAP national chairman and Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo called for an explanation over the prosecution’s decision to seek a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for the four charges.
Gobind said the public was entitled to know what “specific material factors or legal considerations changed” to prompt the withdrawal, warning that discontinuing high-profile cases without clear justification could affect public confidence in the Attorney General and the criminal justice system.
On Tuesday, however, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted Muhyiddin a full discharge and acquittal on all four charges after the prosecution applied for a DNAA under Section 254(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
High Court judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin granted the acquittal after noting that the prosecution had not provided reasons for seeking the DNAA and had not presented witnesses or evidence in support of the four charges.
Muhyiddin, 79, remains on trial for three separate charges of allegedly abusing his position as prime minister to obtain RM25.3 million in gratification for Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia from Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd and KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd in connection with the Jana Wibawa programme.
The prosecution has closed its case on the three remaining charges after calling 29 witnesses.
Muhyiddin had originally faced seven charges comprising four counts of abuse of power involving RM225.3 million in alleged gratification and three money-laundering charges involving RM200 million.
The four Bukhary Equity-related charges have now ended with his acquittal, while the three-remaining abuse-of-power charges concern the alleged RM25.3 million gratification linked to Jana Wibawa. - September 16, 2026
