Muhyiddin Yassin’s ‘corruption’ investigation: merely a fishing expedition
What is the MACC going to do next? If this case is dropped, it will make Anwar Ibrahim look like an idiot for making all sorts of allegations that are proven nonsense in the end. It is going to be like Anwar’s allegation that Najib Razak gave PAS RM90 million of 1MDB’s money.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Yesterday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) summoned Muhyiddin Yassin for his statement to be recorded regarding allegations that he had abused his power while he was Malaysia’s Prime Minister from 1st March 2020 to 16th August 2021.
The actual allegation is not clear because it ranges from misappropriating RM600 billion, to misappropriating RM530 billion, to misappropriating RM92.5 billion, to receiving kickbacks of RM3.5 billion, to having RM300 million in Parti Pribumi Bersatu’s bank account. The allegation keeps changing every time.
Anyway, the day before that, Muhyiddin stood up in Parliament to deny the allegation that he and/or his party, whether Bersatu or Perikatan Nasional, had stolen the taxpayers’ money. That allegation would be on the Hansard and is permanently on record till Hari Kiamat.
According to a certain PKR Minister of Home Affairs who wishes to remain anonymous, the first thing the MACC interrogators wanted to know was where does Bersatu gets its money from, and Muhyiddin replied they get their money from donations from supporters. That is quite reasonable because very seldom would your enemies donate money to your party. That would be like Muslims paying zakat to the Vatican in Rome.
It appears that the investigation (or interrogation) was not focused on the allegation of misappropriation of RM600 billion, misappropriation of RM530 billion, misappropriation of RM92.5 billion, kickbacks of RM3.5 billion, or RM300 million in Bersatu’s bank account. It was a general investigation, more like a fishing expedition to try to see what they can drag up by chance.
The MACC seemed very interested in the 52 companies who were awarded construction contracts under the JanaWibawa scheme. Muhyiddin replied that the PMO was not involved in this scheme and that it came under the MoF. And the Minister of Finance then was Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. (The MACC officers replied they will be recording Tengku Zafrul’s statement today: Friday 17th).
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The MACC officers then handed Muhyiddin a list of the 52 contractors who were awarded contracts under the JanaWibawa scheme and was asked if he knew any of them. Muhyiddin looked through the list and replied he does not know any of them.
The MACC also wanted to know how and why these 52 contractors were awarded the government contracts and Muhyiddin replied he does not know since this JanaWibawa scheme came under the MoF and not the PMO. The PMO was not involved in the process.
Muhyiddin was also asked whether he was aware that these 52 companies were awarded government contracts under the JanaWibawa scheme, and he replied he was not.
The MACC also asked Muhyiddin whether the Minister of Finance receives instructions from the Prime Minister. Muhyiddin replied each cabinet minister has his/her own power and authority.
Muhyiddin was asked whether any of those 52 contractors donated any money to Bersatu and he replied he does not know. Muhyiddin was also asked if he had not been Prime Minister, would any of these 52 companies donate any money to Bersatu, and Muhyiddin replied that is mere speculation. The MACC officers also wanted to know in the event these 52 companies had donated any money to Bersatu would it have benefited the party in GE15, and Muhyiddin replied that is mere assumption and they should not use assumptions to try to trap him.
The more important point to this entire fishing expedition is they did not bring up the matter of the RM300 million that Anwar Ibrahim alleged the MACC uncovered or discovered in Bersatu’s two bank accounts that were frozen. In fact, there is only RM20 million and not RM300 million in Bersatu’s bank accounts, which is why the MACC did not bring the RM300 million matter up.
What is the MACC going to do next? If this case is dropped, it will make Anwar Ibrahim look like an idiot for making all sorts of allegations that are proven nonsense in the end. It is going to be like Anwar’s allegation that Najib Razak gave PAS RM90 million of 1MDB’s money.
