Muhyiddin wants Rohaizat to make sworn declaration

Written by Regina William, The Edge   

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has asked Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Permatang Pasir by-election Rohaizat Othman to make a sworn declaration to prove his innocence in a case involving a client's money and his legal firm that led to him being disbarred as a lawyer.

Muhyiddin, who is also deputy prime minister, said he had personally been briefed by Rohaizat on the matter, and that it was only a disciplinary problem and not one which involved criminal breach of trust.

Defending Rohaizat, who has come under tremendous pressure following the revelation by the Bar Council that Rohaizat had been disbarred for personal misconduct involving RM161,000 of his client's money, Muhyiddin said: "I don't know what the Bar Council's motive by commenting on this is but there seems to be a hidden agenda."

"I am sure he is innocent, otherwise he would have been taken to court," he said.

Asked to comment on other complaints which had also been lodged with the Bar Council against Rohaizat, Muhyiddin said anyone could make allegations or lodge reports.

"The opposition too have their own issues, including morality issues like Elizabeth Wong and the wrong religious fatwas being issued. As far as we are concerned, Rohaizat has been declared eligible to contest and that is all that matters. Let the voters be the judge," he said at a press conference during a visit to the Permatang Pasir constituency.