High court sets July 11 to hear Muhyiddin’s bid to quash power abuse charges

KUALA LUMPUR – High court judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin here has set July 11 to hear the application by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to quash four charges of misusing his position to receive bribes amounting to RM232.5 million for his party Bersatu.

The former prime minister, who is also Pagoh MP, was represented by Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, while the prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, reported Malaysiakini.

On April 19, Muhyiddin filed the motion at the high court here naming the public prosecutor as the respondent.

In the application, the Bersatu president requested that he be acquitted and freed from the four charges brought against him on March 10, and that the case proceedings at the sessions court be postponed pending the motion hearing.

Through a supporting affidavit filed with the notice of motion, Muhyiddin claimed that all the four charges against him were flawed and not according to the law.

Based on the four charges, Muhyiddin, 75, is alleged to have used his positions as prime minister and Bersatu president to receive bribes amounting to RM232.5 million from three companies, namely Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, and Mamfor Sdn Bhd, as well as Datuk Azman Yusoff for the party.

All the offences were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Office, Main Block, Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya, between March 1, 2020 and August 20, 2021, in accordance with Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009.

Muhyiddin also faces two other charges of money laundering amounting to RM195 million from Bukhary Equity, which was deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB Bank account.

The offences were allegedly committed at CIMB Bank’s Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral here, between February 25 and July 16, 2021 as well as between February 8 and July 8, 2022, in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

Muhyiddin was also charged in the Shah Alam sessions court on March 13 this year with receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM5 million, and the case has been transferred to the sessions court here for a joint trial. – The Vibes, May 31, 2023