PERIKATAN Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he would take legal action against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for allegedly slandering him, adding that Anwar is unfair in his attacks and accusations of wrongdoing.
He also took a jibe at International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz saying he was the one who took most of the decisions when he was finance minister.
“It is not fair that the government of the day put the focus on me when it was the finance minister then which made the decisions,” The Star reported Muhyiddin as saying.
The former PM claimed that Anwar deliberately made several claims to smear his name by raising the issue of corruption and misuse, which he allegedly committed when he led the government.
“This is not fair. The prime minister may not be ‘fully aware.’ I had served as the prime minister. One should not have made such a statement, throwing all kinds of accusations (against me).
“This is serious. I know his trick is politics so people will be angry with me. Or people will think that I am a robber, a liar, or that I am abusing my power,” he said.
To support his views that Anwar slandered him, Muhyiddin said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) did not call him as a “suspect” but instead he was called up to merely give explanations in the process of investigations.
“The MACC officer informed me that I was not a suspect but was called in merely to give explanations in the process of investigations,” added Muhyiddin.
“I explained to the MACC that I have all the papers to prove what went on. I don’t even know the names of the companies that were chosen for Jana Wibawa.
“The MACC investigating officer then read out the names of the companies but I did not recognise them. The Prime Minister’s Office mainly submitted the list of the companies given by the Bumiputra Wholesalers’ Association to the Finance Ministry.
“I then asked if I was a suspect and would be charged,” he said, adding that the officer told him he is not a suspect.
According to Muhyiddin, it will be up to MACC to get further information from Tengku Zafrul. — Feb 18, 2023
