Anwar’s and Zahid’s failed attempt to destroy Perikatan Nasional
But now that MACC has been caught red-handed, their bigger problem is to explain how they froze/seized an account that doesn’t belong to an offender. BERSATU and Muhyiddin are two different entities.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
In January 2023, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hatched a plan to smear Parti Pribumi Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders. In fact, both Anwar and Zahid publicly declared that PN leaders will be the next court cluster, a.k.a. Kluster Mahkamah 2.0.
Since then, Anwar has been making false accusations of embezzlement of public funds of RM600 billion, which was reduced to RM530 billion, and then to RM92.5 billion, then to RM4.5 billion, and finally to just RM300 million.
Not only did the figures keep changing, but the story also kept changing: from Muhyiddin Yassin stealing public money to Muhyiddin receiving bribes and kickbacks. Finally, when Muhyiddin was arrested charged, it was not for embezzlement, bribery or corruption, it was for abuse of power.
But then what was the so-called abuse of power about?
The so-called abuse of power was regarding Muhyiddin allegedly approving a Ministry of Finance (MoF) initiative called ‘Projek JanaWibawa’, which was an economic plan to help Bumiputra contractors in dire straits from going bankrupt. However, Muhyiddin was not in charge of Projek JanaWibawa, MoF was, and neither did he have approval power.
So how could Muhyiddin abuse a power which he did not have?
Muhyiddin was further charged for approving Yayasan Al-Bukhary’s appeal of its tax-exempt status, which had been revoked by then Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng during Pakatan Harapan’s rule.
However, both Anwar and Guan Eng have denied this. In that case, how can Muhyiddin be accused of committing a crime of abuse of power for approving Yayasan Al-Bukhary’s appeal of its tax-exempt status if the tax-exempt status had never been revoked?
Hence Muhyiddin’s lawyers have filed a striking out application on grounds that Muhyiddin has been charged for non-existent offences. That striking out has been fixed for hearing in late June. So let’s see what happens then.
A more interesting development is also taking place in the Judicial Review involving BERSATU’s bank accounts. Firstly, MACC seized BERSATU’s bank accounts without informing BERSATU. MACC had alleged that BERSATU received money from corrupt sources and for that reason their accounts can be frozen.
However, until today, BERSATU has not been charged for any offence.
S. 44(5) AMLA states that if the owner of a frozen bank account is not charged within 90 days of the freezing, then the freezing orders shall expire and lapse. And here is the anomaly. BERSATU is said to have receive ‘dirty money’, but the party has not been charged, only its bank accounts are frozen.
On the other hand, Muhyiddin faces several corruption charges. But his own bank accounts are not frozen. Instead, MACC freezes BERSATU’s bank accounts without charging BERSATU. MACC treats BERSATU and Muhyiddin as one entity.
The interesting thing is that the KL High Court is already hearing the JR Leave application and will deliver its decision in 17.5.2023. Pending that decision, the 90-day period lapsed. The BERSATU lawyers informed the court that MACC will be playing tricks, as they always do. Judge Dato Ahmad Kamal Shahid, however, told the BERSATU lawyers to not be too critical of MACC. So everyone agreed to wait for 17.5.2023.
However, on 20.4.2023, MACC issued a media statement that without waiting for 17th May 2023, they have decided to seize BERSATU’s bank accounts. Now read closely the MACC’s statement. Did MACC seize on 20th April? No!
In fact, MACC blatantly admitted that they seized BERSATU’s accounts on 11.4.2023 whereas the freezing orders expires on the 12th May! So what has MACC done? MACC has backdated the Seizure Orders to make it appear it was done before the expiry of the Freezing Orders. That’s how dirty MACC is.
But now that MACC has been caught red-handed, their bigger problem is to explain how they froze/seized an account that doesn’t belong to an offender. BERSATU and Muhyiddin are two different entities.
Anyway, action is now being taken to cite the top three leaders of MACC for contempt of court. See the letter from BERSATU’s lawyers and the affidavit filed in court. It will reflect badly on the High Court judge if he allows these shenanigans to happen right under his nose.
More interestingly is the fact that MACC is now exposed for obstructing and interfering in the administration or the course of justice. Only in Malaysia’s Unity Govt of PH/Umno can such things happen!
