MALAYSIA— On Thursday (9 March), Muhyiddin Yassin, former prime minister of Malaysia, was summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for the second time over alleged abuse in stimulus programmes during his administration.
This was confirmed by Muhyiddin in a Facebook post on Wednesday (8 March).
At the same time, he refuted the claims by a news report that he was arrested while playing golf.
“Today, I attended a few meetings regarding Bersatu’s (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) annual general assembly, which will begin this Friday.”
“However, I had been summoned to the headquarters of the MACC at 11 am tomorrow (Thursday).”
Supporters of Muhyiddin can be seen gathering outside of the MACC building this morning as he attends the interview.
This is the second time that Muhyiddin has been summoned by the MACC.
The first time, which he confirmed in February, was to record his statement regarding the Jana Wibawa projects introduced during his stint as PM.
The MACC has launched an investigation into the Jana Wibawa projects, introduced during Muhyiddin’s tenure as Prime Minister.
The agency is investigating claims that selected contractors allegedly funnelled RM300 million (US$68 million) worth of political funds into the BERSATU party account.
Almost all the donors who contributed to the party’s accounts were contractors who were awarded government contracts during Muhyiddin’s premiership as the 8th prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021.
Two bank accounts belonging to BERSATU, with a total balance of RM40 million, have been frozen by the MACC.
The MACC has already charged the party’s information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Segambut division deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad with corruption charges linked to the Jana Wibawa programme.
MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki confirmed on 2 February 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 Perikatan Nasional (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 19 November last year.
Muhyiddin, who is the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman, has since denied the allegations, calling it an attempt to silence the opposition by the new unity government.
