Prosecution will show millions in funds were channelled to Bersatu’s accounts as the graft trial of former PM Muhyiddin Yassin opens in Kuala Lumpur
KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s graft trial will present evidence to show millions of ringgit were channelled into the accounts of his party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said this during his opening statement on the first day of Muhyiddin’s trial before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin.
He acknowledged the funds did not go into the accused’s personal pocket but into Bersatu’s accounts.
At the material time, Muhyiddin was both the president of Bersatu and the prime minister with an indirect interest in the Jana Wibawa project.
The prosecution will also show the finance minister at the time acted based on minutes of the accused’s meetings and gained no profit from the decisions.
Similarly, the minister’s political ally, UMNO, also gained nothing from the decisions.
“If not for the accused being president of Bersatu and at the same time prime minister of Malaysia then, Bersatu would not have received contributions amounting to millions of ringgit,” Wan Shaharuddin said.
The prosecution will rely on documentary evidence, records, direct testimony, and circumstantial evidence to prove its case.
Approximately 30 witnesses are expected to be called to testify throughout the trial.
In proving an offence under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC Act), the prosecution will rely on the legal presumption under Section 23(2) of the same act.
The Court of Appeal has previously ruled that Bersatu is an organisation under Section 3 of the MACC Act.
It also ruled the charges under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act are not defective.
The trial then continued with the prosecution calling its first witness, MACC Assistant Superintendent Mohd Syawaludin Said.