Malaysia’s former PM Muhyiddin Yassin pleads not guilty to abuse of power, money laundering
- Muhyiddin, who described the case as politically motivated, was granted bail after pleading not guilty to all six charges
- He faces decades in jail and hefty fines if convicted of the abuse of power and money laundering charges
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he was the victim of a politically motivated legal attack after he was charged Friday with soliciting bribes and laundering tens of millions of dollars, allegations which could see him jailed.
Prosecutors on Friday said Muhyiddin allegedly received a total of 427.5 million ringgit (US$94.5 million) in bribes and illicit funds between 2020 and 2022, when his Bersatu party was a key component of the ruling political coalition.
Muhyiddin faces four separate charges for abuse of power to solicit bribes on behalf of his party worth a total of 232.5 million ringgit, and another two charges for money laundering involving a total of 195 million ringgit.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years’ jail and a fine of five times the value of the bribe for each charge of abuse of power, and a penalty of up to 5 million ringgit and up to five years’ jail for money laundering.
A defiant Muhyiddin said the charges were a political ploy to “destroy me, my family and my party”. Bersatu has previously had its assets frozen.
