Tengku Zafrul Testifies in Muhyiddin’s Graft Trial

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — Former Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz took the stand today as a prosecution witness in the high-profile corruption and money laundering trial of former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Tengku Zafrul, 53, who currently serves as the Prime Minister’s Senior Political Adviser, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex at 8:30 AM. Appearing as the prosecution’s 11th witness, he gave his oral evidence before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin.

The ongoing judicial proceedings center on Muhyiddin, 78, who faces multi-million ringgit charges connected to the Jana Wibawa stimulus programme launched during his tenure as head of government. The Pagoh MP and Bersatu president stands accused of four counts of abusing his official position to secure RM225.3 million in bribes for his political party. The illicit funds were allegedly obtained from three corporate entities—Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, and Mamfor Sdn Bhd—as well as an individual, Datuk Azman Yusoff.

According to the charge sheets, the state assemblyman allegedly committed the corruption offences at the Prime Minister’s Office within the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020, and August 20, 2021. The prosecution has levied these charges under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. A conviction under this provision carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison alongside a fine of no less than five times the bribe value or RM10,000, whichever amount stands higher.

In addition to the abuse of power allegations, the former premier faces three separate money laundering charges involving RM200 million. The prosecution alleges that Muhyiddin received proceeds from unlawful activities originating from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which were subsequently channeled into Bersatu’s corporate bank accounts at Ambank and CIMB Bank branches across Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) — Former Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz testified today in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur during the corruption and money laundering trial of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Tengku Zafrul, 53, the prosecution’s 11th witness, arrived at the court complex at 8.30 am.

The Prime Minister’s Senior Political Adviser gave evidence before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin.

Muhyiddin, 78, who was then Prime Minister and Bersatu, faces four charges of using his position to obtain RM225.3 million in bribes linked to the Jana Wibawa project from three companies, namely Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd and Mamfor Sdn Bhd, as well as Datuk Azman Yusoff, allegedly for Bersatu.

He is accused of committing the offences at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021, under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The Pagoh MP also faces three charges of receiving RM200 million in proceeds from unlawful activities from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which were deposited into Bersatu’s Ambank and CIMB Bank accounts at branches in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur between February 2021 and July 2022.

He is charged under Section 4(1)(b), read together with Section 87(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the proceeds of unlawful activity or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

– BERNAMA