KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to be summoned by Malaysia’s anti-graft agency as part of investigations into the party’s funds.
The New Straits Times (NST), citing a source, reported on Tuesday (Feb 14) that Mr Muhyiddin will have his statement taken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) “in the near future”.
“Muhyiddin will be called to have his statement recorded over the alleged RM300 million (US$68 million) that the party is said to have received as political funds from contractors that were awarded projects under his administration.
“Checks also showed almost all the donors who contributed to the party’s accounts were contractors who were awarded government contracts during Muhyiddin’s premiership,” according to the NST report.
Mr Muhyiddin was Malaysia’s 8th prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021.
Other Bersatu leaders are believed to have been summoned by the MACC to have their statements recorded, including the party’s treasurer.
The source cited by NST confirmed that two bank accounts, with a total balance of RM40 million, belonging to Bersatu have been frozen by the MACC.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki had earlier confirmed on Feb 2 that the commission froze several Bersatu bank accounts as part of its investigations into the alleged embezzlement of RM600 billion in funds used by the previous PN-led government during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022.
Calls for an official investigation into the stimulus spending during the pandemic grew after there were perceptions that PN ran a well-funded election campaign leading up to the 15th General Elections on Nov 19 last year.
Mr Muhyiddin, who is the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman, has since denied the allegations, calling it an attempt at silencing the opposition by the new unity government.