KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 — Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has scoffed at Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s recent posting on Facebook questioning his cancer treatment dates abroad.
This came after the former was named as the alleged recipient of RM1.3 million in financial contributions from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) in 2018, a local company implicated in Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial over the award of the foreign visa system (VLN) contract.
In a press conference today, Muhyiddin advised Najib, a convicted former prime minister, to mind his own problems first.
Najib had taken to his Facebook page, posting several comments that took a jibe at Muhyiddin’s response that included his medical treatment dates.
“He is not a judge. It is best that he manages his own problems.
“I have already made a statement and I have nothing further to add in this event,” he said, when speaking to reporters after attending the “Ruang Belia” programme in Sime Darby.
Malay Mail obtained an audio recording of the press conference.
“My statement was such and I also mentioned examples of one, two dates which were mentioned by the party during which the bribe was purportedly given. I said, at that time, I was not here.
“So I want to ask that this need not be debated further. I have also already made a statement that is rather clear. There are people who have made police reports. Let the police probe. If the MACC wants to call me, go ahead. I am not afraid because I am speaking the truth,” he added.
Muhyiddin said that to date, he has not been called by any authorities over the matter.
“I am speaking the truth. I have never lied. Others want to comment (otherwise), that is individual comments, but most importantly, I didn’t get a bribe. I didn’t receive anything.
“However, if others want to say otherwise, that is their business. If it needs to be ascertained to be the truth or not, I have already said, I am ready to be investigated. It can be done now. If they intend to probe tomorrow, that is fine too,” he added.
In issuing the denial, last week, Muhyiddin labelled the claim as false since he was undergoing surgery for his cancer at a hospital overseas and had taken a leave of absence from official duties as home minister at the time of the alleged incident.
This was after he was informed of the statement issued in court by a prosecution witness who testified that Muhyiddin received the aforementioned sum between July and August 2018.
“At that time, I was undergoing a surgery and had taken a leave of absence for several months for follow-up treatments. My duties as home minister was taken over by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was the prime minister at that time.
“It is impossible for me to receive any form of monetary gratification from anyone else at that time. The allegations are baseless,” he added.
Muhyiddin went on medical leave on July 12, 2018 and was warded at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore where he underwent an operation to remove a tumour in his pancreas.
He returned to Malaysia on August 12, 2018.
Muhyiddin further wrote that he was never investigated or questioned by the relevant authorities over the allegations, adding that he was however prepared to be probed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) following the revelation.
“I am hereby stating that I have never received, direct or indirect, any money from David Tan, a witness from UKSB, its directors or shareholders.
“It is with hope that the prosecution will clarify the matter so as to avoid any unwanted accusations levelled against me when I am firm against any form of corruption,” he said.
During cross-examination, Tan affirmed the entries he had made in a ledger file titled “HL PE” which he owned for bookkeeping purposes on cash payments made by UKSB to various politicians, government staff and Ahmad Zahid himself.
Tan referred to Muhyiddin as “TSM” in his ledger which was shown to the court today.
The 17th prosecution witness also affirmed cash payments to Muhyiddin on three separate dates in 2018: June 4, July 4 and August 23; the sums were listed as RM300,000, RM500,000 and RM500,000 respectively.
Muhyiddin was the home minister under the newly formed Pakatan Harapan government at that time, following the electoral defeat of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in May 2018.
Ahmad Zahid was Muhyiddin’s predecessor from May 2013 to May 2018.
