The High Court here was told that a total of RM25.3 million was deposited into Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) accounts by an individual and four companies between September 2021 and November 2022.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Special Operations investigating officer Mazery Mohd Zaini told the court that the payments were made after the companies and individual successfully secured projects under the Jana Ekonomi Pemerkasaan Kontraktor Bumiputera Berwibawa (Jana Wibawa) programme.
According to Mazery, the transactions took place between Sept 22, 2021 and Nov 22, 2022 and involved KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd and Sutracom Sdn Bhd, as well as KCJ Engineering director and Datuk Azman Yusoff.
Mazery, who is now the head of Investigation Branch B, said checks on Bersatu’s accounts with CIMB Bank and AmBank showed that former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Md Yassin was among those who had control over the accounts.
He told the court that his analysis showed the companies involved had deposited money into Bersatu’s accounts after obtaining Jana Wibawa projects, with the total transactions amounting to RM25.3 million during the period examined.
The 29th prosecution witness also said investigators did not find any receipts issued by Bersatu acknowledging the payments as donations from the companies or Azman.
Mazery said the timing of the payments was significant after investigators compared the dates of applications or letters of support, actions taken by the Finance Minister, company evaluations, issuance of Letters of Acceptance (SST) and the dates when the money entered Bersatu’s two bank accounts.
He said the transactions did not appear to be coincidental as the payments were made around the same period, specifically after the SSTs had been issued to the companies.
According to Mazery, the investigation found that the money was not political donations but was allegedly linked to Muhyiddin’s actions in helping the companies secure Jana Wibawa projects.
He added that statements from company owners and representatives supported the finding, with the witnesses allegedly confirming that payments were made to Bersatu because their companies had successfully obtained Jana Wibawa projects and would not have made the payments had they not secured the contracts.
The trial before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin will continue tomorrow.
Muhyiddin, 79, who was prime minister and Bersatu president at the time, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain RM225.3 million in bribes linked to Jana Wibawa projects from four companies and an individual.
He is alleged to have committed the offences at the Prime Minister’s Office in Perdana Putra, Putrajaya, between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021, under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009. If convicted, the offence carries a maximum 20-year jail term and a fine of five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The Pagoh MP also faces three charges of receiving RM200 million in proceeds from unlawful activity from a company, with the money allegedly deposited into Bersatu’s AmBank and CIMB Bank accounts at branches in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur between February 2021 and July 2022.
Those charges were brought under Section 4(1)(b), read with Section 87(1), of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. The offence carries a maximum prison term of 15 years and a fine of five times the value of the proceeds from unlawful activity or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
