PROSECUTION VOWS TO PROVE MILLIONS OF FUNDS CHANNELED TO BERSATU IN MUHYIDDIN TRIAL

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- The prosecution in the trial of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who faces seven charges of power abuse and money laundering, told the court it will present evidence showing millions of ringgit were channelled into the account of his political ally, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said that at that material time Muhyiddin was both Bersatu president and prime minister, giving him an indirect interest in the Jana Wibawa Programme.

“The prosecution acknowledges that the millions of ringgit did not enter the accused’s personal account, but were instead channelled into the account of his ally, Bersatu,” he said while presenting the prosecution’s opening statement on the first day of the trial before High Court judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin.

Wan Shaharuddin said the prosecution will also show that the finance minister at the time acted based on meeting minutes from the accused and did not benefit from the decisions made.

“Similarly, the finance minister at the time, from UMNO, did not gain any benefit. Evidence will show that if not for the accused being Bersatu president and prime minister at the same time, the party would not have received millions of ringgit in contributions,” he said.

Wan Shaharuddin said that the prosecution will rely on documentary and record evidence, as well as direct and circumstantial testimony, to prove its case.

About 30 witnesses are expected to testify during the trial.

“In proving an offence under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, the prosecution will rely on the legal presumption under Section 23(2) of the same Act.

“The Court of Appeal has previously ruled that Bersatu qualifies as an organisation under Section 3 of the Act and that the charges under Section 23(1) are not defective,” he said.

The trial then proceeded with the prosecution calling its first witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission assistant superintendent Mohd Syawaludin Said.

Muhyiddin, 78, was charged with four counts of using his position at that material time to obtain bribes totalling RM232.5 million in relation to the Jana Wibawa Project from three companies, namely Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd and Mamfor Sdn Bhd, as well as Datuk Azman Yusoff for the party.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021.

The Pagoh MP was charged under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law. The section provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

He also faces three counts of receiving proceeds from illegal activities totalling RM200 million from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which were deposited into Bersatu's Ambank and CIMB Bank accounts at the bank's branches in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur between February 2021 and July 2022.

The charge was made under Section 4(1)(b) read with Section 87(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which is punishable under Section 4(1) of the same act and carries imprisonment for up to 15 years and is also liable to a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds from illegal activities or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Muhyiddin pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Wan Shaharuddin is leading the prosecution team, which also comprises Noralis Mat, Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Alis Izzati Azurin Mohd Rusdi and Mohamad Safari Abdullah.

The defence is led by Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik alongside Datuk K. Kumaraendran, Datuk Rosli Dahlan, Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, Chetan Jethwani, Low Wei Loke, Kee Wei Loon, Siti Sumaiyahh Ahmad Jaafar, Lee Yee Wei, and Tang Jia Yearn.

On Oct 7 last year, the Attorney General’s Chambers rejected Muhyiddin’s request to have the seven charges against him dropped.

-- BERNAMA