Probe freezes opposition party’s funds
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian antigraft authorities have frozen the bank accounts of an opposition party led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin amid an investigation that the pro-Malay group said was an attempt to destroy its credibility.
The Bersatu party will cooperate in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) probe in order to quickly put an end to the “slander” thrown its way, the party’s Secretary-General Hamzah Zainudin said in a statement late Wednesday.
Shortly after taking office, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said “tens of billions of ringgit” in Covid-19 relief during Mr Muhyiddin’s time as premier was allocated without due procedure. Mr Muhyiddin, who leads the party and was prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021, has denied any wrongdoing. He and Mr Anwar fought a tight election race in November that resulted in a hung parliament.
The investigation is a blow for Bersatu and the wider Perikatan Nasional coalition it leads as it prepares to take on Mr Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan alliance in six state elections due this year. The conservative Perikatan Nasional aims to build on the surprise gains it made in the general election, where it came in second to Pakatan Harapan.
The investigation is being carried out under the MACC Act and the Antimoney Laundering, Anti-terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act, local media reported, citing MACC Chief Azam Baki. The accounts were frozen two weeks ago, he added.
Mr Azam said the probe was unrelated to the Covid-19 funds and asked that his officers be given space to dotheir work, the Star reported.