KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has been charged with six counts of corruption and power abuse involving RM427.5 million
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president, whose actual registered name is Mahiaddin Md Yasin, 76, has become the second former prime minister to be charged in court for corruption in the country's history.
Prior to this Datuk Seri Najib Razak was charged for corruption and misappropriating 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds in 2018.
Najib has since been found guilty of misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International funds and was sentenced to 12 years jail for the offence.
Muhyiddin - who is the co-founder of Bersatu, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to all six counts after the charges were read to him before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.
Muhyiddin was charged with two counts of receiving RM195 million funds, that are proceeds from unlawful activities between February 25 to July 16, 2021 and February 8 till July 8 last year.
The funds were credited into the party's CIMB bank account. He was accused of committing the offense at CIMB Bank KL Tower branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral, here.
Both charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The offence under AMLATFPUAA carries a jail term not exceeding 15 years' and a fine of at least five times the sum obtained from money laundering or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
He was also charged with four counts of using his position as the Prime Minister and Bersatu president to ask RM200 million as a bribe from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd at the Prime Minister's Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Putrajaya between February 8 till 25, 2021.
He was also accused of committing the same offence at the same location, by asking RM32.5 million from Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd and Azman Yusoff for a bribe for the party between March 1 to August, 2020.
The four charges were framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 which carries maximum 20 years of jail time, or a fine of five times the value of the money solicited, or RM10,000, whichever higher.
The prosecution team was led by solicitor general Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, who had a team of nine other deputy public prosecutors assosting him.
Muhyiddin was represented by senior lawyer Datuk K Kumaraendran, Datuk Rosli Dahlan and six other lawyers.
Ahmad Terrirudin suggested for RM2 million bail to be posted, with two local surety, for all six charges, as well as to have Muhyiddin's passport surrendered to court.
The court then ordered RM2 million bail, with two local surety and to have his passport surrendered to the court.
The judge fixed May 26 for mention.
Muhyiddin was elected as the Prime Minister after the collapse of Pakatan Harapan (PH) government in 2020.
As the country faced the Covid-19 pandemic, the government announced several initiatives as assistance to the people, including the Jana Wibawa programme for Bumiputera contractors.
Others who have previously been charged for corruption related to the Jana Wibawa programme were former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan and businessman cum Bersatu Segambut division deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad.