Former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin hit with seventh graft charge
Kuala Lumpur, The Gulf Observer: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin pleaded innocent Monday to a seventh corruption charge, this one alleging he received illegal proceeds of 5 million ringgit ($1.1 million) that was banked into his political party.
Muhyiddin is Malaysia’s second leader to be indicted after leaving office and has denied wrongdoing. He slammed the case as “organized political persecution” to embarrass him and crush his Islamic-dominated opposition ahead of state elections. He denied abusing his power to award contracts to selected ethnic Malay contractors in return for bribes, and to approve an appeal by a business tycoon on the cancellation of his tax exemption.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim rejected accusations that the charges were politically motivated. The anti-graft agency and the attorney-general’s chambers, whose chiefs were previously appointed by Muhyiddin, have denied there was political interference in the investigation and prosecution process.
On Friday, Muhyiddin pleaded innocent to four charges of abusing his power to obtain 232.5 million ringgit ($51.4 million) bribes for his party and two charges of money laundering involving 195 million ringgit ($43 million).
Two senior members from Muhyiddin’s Bersatu party were recently charged with graft. The anti-graft agency has also frozen Bersatu’s party accounts.
If Muhyiddin, 75, is found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the corruption charges, 15 years each for money laundering and fines.
