MUHYIDDIN Yassin said his administration had used taxpayers’ money to help the people overcome difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said none of the money went into his own pocket.

The Pagoh MP said this today in Dewan Rakyat while rebuking Najib Razak’s claims that he (Muhyiddin) had wasted taxpayers’ money during his tenure as prime minister.

The Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman said it was irresponsible of Najib (Pekan-BN) to hurl such accusations against him.

“Pekan said that Perikatan had wasted money because we spent RM600 billion during the pandemic on economic stimulus packages to help people and businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“His allegations are highly insensitive to the hardships faced by Malaysians and the business community in the time of the epidemic,” he said during the debate on the royal address in Dewan Rakyat today.

He also hit out at Najib for losses of public money during his tenure as prime minister.

“When he was the prime minister, tens of billions of the people’s money were lost just like that. Is that not money wasted?”

Taking a further jibe at Najib, Muhyiddin said the funds utilised by the PN administration did not go into his personal bank account.

“Such a large allocation (funds) did not go into my personal account, but was for the benefit of the people who were affected by the pandemic.

“The purchase of vaccines, cash aid channelled directly to the people’s accounts, the opening of quarantine centres and PPV – all for the people.  Where am I wasting (funds)?”

Last week, Najib had claimed that Muhyiddin knew about the depletion in the country’s reserves.

“He (Pagoh) was a senior minister in Pakatan Harapan. Then he became prime minister in the Perikatan Nasional government.

“The reserves now are less than they were before the 14th general election.

“He (Pagoh) was in two governments that depleted the country’s reserves,” Najib said.

Muhyiddin today said it was fortunate that BN was defeated in GE14 and Najib was no longer the prime minister.

“The (new) government has set up a special task force to recover the stolen 1MDB money and assets. 

“When I was the prime minister, I had instructed this special task force to track down and recover 1MDB money and assets hidden in foreign countries. 

“I understand that so far more than RM20 billion of 1MDB’s money and assets have been successfully recovered by the government and put into the Asset Recovery Trust Account which will be used to pay off part of the 1MDB debt.”

He added that if Najib had still been the prime minister, he would not have set up a special task force to recover 1MDB’s money and assets.

“Because he is the one who lost the money and assets. So it’s true that Pekan is a clever liar.” – Bernama, March 7, 2022.