Malaysian court reinstates ex-PM Muhyiddin’s graft charges

MALAYSIA’S Court of Appeal reinstated former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s four abuse of power charges, The Star reported, in a fresh blow to the opposition leader.

A three-member panel unanimously decided the High Court had erred last year when it ruled that Muhyiddin’s charges were defective and acquitted the leader, the newspaper reported on Wednesday (Feb 28). 

Muhyiddin was charged with four counts of abuse of power and three counts of money laundering in March 2023, making him the second ex-Malaysian premier to be indicted after Najib Razak.

Three companies and an individual had sent RM232.5 million (S$65.7 million) to Muhyiddin’s party’s bank account while he was prime minister, according to prosecutors.

Muhyiddin leads the Malay-majority opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional, which made significant electoral headway during provincial polls in August last year as well as in the 2022 nationwide vote. He has denied any wrongdoing. BLOOMBERG