[UPDATED] Court frees Muhyiddin from four power abuse charges

KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here today acquitted and discharged Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of four charges of using his position to acquire bribes totalling RM232.5 million for Bersatu.

Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin made the decision after allowing an application from the Bersatu president to quash the charges.

It was earlier reported that the former prime minister had filed an application to quash the four charges of misusing his position to receive the bribes.

Muhyiddin, as the applicant, filed the motion through Tetuan Chetan Jethwani & Company on April 18 at the high court here, naming the public prosecutor as the respondent.

The Perikatan Nasional chief had requested that he be acquitted and freed from the four charges that were brought against him on March 10.

He also requested that the proceedings of the case at the sessions court be postponed, pending the motion hearing.

Jamil struck out the suit on the grounds that all four charges were defective and in bad faith.

He said the charges did not reveal sufficient particulars on what was the alleged offence under the MACC Act 2009.

Muhyiddin was charged on four counts of using his position as prime minister and Bersatu president to ask for an RM200 million bribe from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd at the Prime Minister’s Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Putrajaya between February 8 and 25, 2021.

The four charges were brought under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act, which carries a maximum 20 years of jail time, or a fine of five times the value of the money solicited, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

He was also charged on two counts of receiving RM195 million in funds, that are proceeds from unlawful activities between February 25 to July 16, 2021 and February 8 to July 8 last year.

Speaking outside the court later, Muhyiddin said he had always believed that the charges against him were politically motivated.

“Today, it has been proven that these were false accusations. I never committed any wrongdoing, whether according to the laws of the MACC or any other.

“I am thankful and we will continue to explain to the people what was done by certain parties to persecute me,” he added. – The Vibes, August 15, 2023