Muhyiddin files to quash abuse of power charges

Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has filed an application to quash the four charges of misusing his position to receive bribes amounting to RM232.5 million for Bersatu.

The Bersatu president, as the applicant, filed the motion through Tetuan Chetan Jethwani & Company on April 18 at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, naming the public prosecutor as the respondent.

In the application, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman requested that he be acquitted and freed from the four charges brought against him on March 10, and for the proceedings of the case at the Sessions Court to be postponed pending the motion hearing.

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

"It contradicts Section 152 of the Criminal Procedure Code because none of the four offences comes under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act," said the Pagoh MP.

Muhyiddin, 75, is accused as prime minister of Malaysia and Bersatu president of using his position to receive bribes for the party amounting to RM232.5 million from three companies – Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd and Mamfor Sdn Bhd – as well as Azman Yusoff.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister's Office, Main Block, Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya, between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021, under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009.

Muhyiddin also faces two other charges of money laundering amounting to RM195 million from Bukhary Equity, deposited into the party's CIMB Bank account.

The offences were allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral, between Feb 25 and July 16, 2021 as well as between Feb 8 and July 8, 2022, under 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 with receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM5 million. The case has been transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for a joint trial.