BERSATU president Muhyiddin Yassin is set to have an unwanted record: the second former prime minister to be charged with corruption.

Muhyiddin, who in 2015 was sacked by then prime minister Najib Razak as his deputy over criticism of the latter’s involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, will now join the former Pekan MP in facing graft charges.

Najib, who is already serving a 12-year jail term, faces further charges in relation to corruption, abuse of power and money laundering.

The rise and fall of Muhyiddin

Muhyiddin, born to a clerk in 1947, went on to study economics.

He had worked in the Johor civil service and later moved to the corporate sector through most of the 1970s.

During this time, he also joined Malaysia’s largest party, Umno, and became an active member.

Muhyiddin rose through the ranks quickly, becoming Johor’s 13th menteri besar in 1986, a post which he held until 1995.

He then made a leap to national politics, where he held several portfolios – minister of youth and sports, minister of domestic trade and consumerism, minister of agriculture and agro-based industry and minister of international trade and industry – before being appointed deputy prime minister in 2009.

During his tenure as deputy prime minister and Umno deputy president, Muhyiddin had said he identified as being “Malay first”.

At the height of the 1MDB controversy, Najib sacked Muhyiddin as his deputy in government and in Umno in 2015 for questioning his handling of the state-owned investment fund, which the former had founded.

After his dismissal, Muhyiddin went on to form another Malay party, Bersatu, along with another former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Their intention was to oust Najib’s scandal-hit government from power.

Bersatu joined Pakatan Harapan (PH), and the coalition clinched a historic victory in the 2019 general election, ending six decades of Barisan Nasional (BN) rule.

Then, Dr Mahathir was appointed the seventh prime minister while Muhyiddin was made the home minister.

The PH government, which also consisted of multiracial PKR and DAP, only lasted 22 months.

It collapsed following the infamous Sheraton Move in 2020, which saw Dr Mahathir stepping down from the top post, and days later, Muhyiddin being appointed the eighth prime minister.

Fondly known as “Abah”, Muhyiddin then formed the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, which includes PAS and several other outfits, and supported by Umno/BN.

Muhyiddin’s administration was smothered by the Covid-19 pandemic, where he was also dubbed “bapa PKP” (father of movement control order).

After several lockdowns, a declaration of health emergency and calls to prove his majority in parliament, Muhyiddin resigned in August 2021, after a troubled 17 months in power.

Umno’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob was then appointed the ninth prime minister, with Muhyiddin being made the National Recovery Council chairman with ministerial status.

GE15 and after…

In the general election last November, the Muhyiddin-led PN defied all expectations by winning 73 parliamentary seats, the second-largest share of the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat, behind PH.

The election results led Malaysia to its first-ever hung parliament, with no single party or coalition managing to have the majority to form the government.

Following five days of political impasse, Anwar Ibrahim was made Malaysia’s 10th prime minister, after he managed to get the backing of long-time nemesis BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and several other parties.

Muhyiddin, who claimed to have submitted 112 statutory declarations to the king, was dissatisfied. PN ended up becoming the opposition despite offers to join Anwar’s unity government.

Soon, the new government started looking into alleged leakages in government finances, especially in projects given out during the pandemic.

Several leaders linked to Muhyiddin’s government and Bersatu were investigated and charged with graft in relation to the Jana Wibawa initiative.

Former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who is the current international trade and industry minister, was also summoned to give his statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Former Bersatu information chief and Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Segambut Bersatu deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad were charged with corruption last week.

They are alleged to have collected funds from the awarding of projects during Muhyiddin’s tenure as prime minister.

MACC is currently investigating allegations that chosen contractors deposited RM300 million in Perikatan Nasional lynchpin party Bersatu’s account before the last general election.

Muhyiddin has denied this, adding that he is a victim of political slander by those intending to smear his reputation. He has also threatened to sue his accusers.

It was also reported that Muhyiddin has been barred from travelling overseas. – March 10, 2023.