FORMER prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has declined Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s challenge to take a “sumpah laknat” to back up his claims that the Umno president had asked for help in his criminal cases.

Muhyiddin, in declining the challenge, said he does not need to do so because he is telling the truth.

“I am telling the truth. If you are speaking to the people, you cannot lie. There is proof and I have shown (the people) who witnessed the event,” Muhyiddin said at a press conference in Putrajaya.

“He can take the oath however many times he wants, that’s up to him.

“I’m not going to because I’ve never lied. What I said is the truth, even if it is hard to hear.”

Muhyiddin also denied that he was bringing the matter up because the Johor elections are around the corner.

“I did not make things up because there is an election taking place soon.

“I will tell the truth and hope that the people will understand what I’m saying.”

A “sumpah laknat” is a Muslim oath asking for divine retribution in the form of a curse on the lying party.

Earlier this month, the Bersatu president claimed at a ceramah in Tangkak, Johor, that Zahid had visited him soon after he became the prime minister to ask for help in his criminal cases.

Muhyiddin said he had refused to help, which had prompted Zahid to work to unseat the prime minister.

He also named PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Bersatu supreme council member Azmin Ali as witnesses to the event.

Zahid faces 47 counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and bribery over tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi, a charitable organisation he founded.

Zahid however denied that such a meeting took place and said he is ready to take the oath to back up his denial. – February 22, 2022.