MALAYSIA — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Malaysia’s 8th Prime Minister, has refuted allegations of embezzlement of RM92.5 billion by his administration as “a monstrous lie based on fabricated stories upon fabricated stories,” and expressed confidence that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will clear his name over this false allegation.
On Tuesday (10 Jan), Muhyiddin published a lengthy post on his official Facebook page, addressing the MACC’s probe on the alleged misappropriation of RM92.5 billion in government funds meant for COVID-19 stimulus packages during the Perikatan Nasional-led government.
He disputed claims of him instructing certain individuals to collect between 3 per cent and 5 per cent commission from the RM92.5bil, which was to be deposited into his party BERSATU (Malaysian United Indigenous Party)’s account as GE15 election fund.
“The 3% and 5% commission of this fiscal expenditure is fictitious. How can I collect commissions from this? Will the 10.6 million people who received direct cash handouts give me a commission? Will the 2.96 million workers who received wage subsidies pay me a commission? Of course not.”
Muhyiddin, who is also chairman for Perikatan National (PN), claims that the allegation against him as a “character assassination” tactic by both Pakatan Harapan(PH) and Barisan Nasional(BN), as they are anxious to see they are losing Malay voters’ support while PN coalition gained 62 per cent vote from Malays in GE15.
“This is a monstrous lie based on fabricated stories upon fabricated stories. The misappropriation of RM92.5 billion is a fabrication, ” he reiterated.
Muhyiddin: “never taken a single sen that was not mine”
“I am confident that MACC’s investigation will reveal that the allegation that there is RM4.5 billion in Bersatu’s account, or mine, is false.”
“I have never taken a single sen that was not mine,” Muhyiddin added.
Muhyiddin was commenting on the MACC arrest of a private company director last week (6 January), who is believed to be a proxy to obtain a project from a government-linked company (GLC) amounting to over RM1 million four years ago,
It is believed that the 47-year-old man is one of BERSATU’s division leaders who has close links to Bersatu’s top leadership.
He allegedly acted as a middleman in the distribution of the economic stimulus packages from 2020 to 2022.
On the allegation that PN has billions in funds and is able to spend lavishly on flags, clothing and merchandise during the GE15 campaign, Muhyiddin said the allegation is merely fake news and spreads lies against BERSATU.
He explained that PN and BERSATU had printed flags and merchandise in bulk two years earlier as a cost-saving measure, which cost four times less compared to if they had printed close to the general election.
“That is why Perikatan decided not to change its flag and logo used in GE15,” Muhyiddin added that PN did not have funds to reprint new flags and other material.
