Gobind: Has Muhyiddin lodged a police report on being pressured to interfere in court cases?

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — Puchong MP Gobind Singh has asked Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin if he has lodged a police report against those whom he claimed had asked him to intervene in court cases when he was prime minister.

Gobind said there were provisions under Section 25(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act that compelled Muhyiddin to lodge a report as such attempts, if true, were an offence.

“The allegations made by Tan Sri Muhyiddin are serious in nature. The allegations were carried extensively in the press. It is a matter of great public interest and must be dealt with in accordance with law.

“I call upon Tan Sri to respond. Did he lodge a report and if he did, did he state the names of those he alleged approached him?

“If he did not, then he should explain why not,” said Gobind in a Facebook post today.

During a national address on August 4, 2021 Muhyiddin revealed he had been pressured by certain unnamed quarters to intervene in the court process to release several individuals who were charged with criminal offences.

He said he would not entertain such requests.

Then on August 16, 2021 Pekan MP Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he was suing Muhyiddin for those remarks.

On Facebook, the former prime minister said he was forced to take legal action as Muhyiddin has so far refused to substantiate the allegations or lodge a police report over the claims as challenged.

Najib said Umno has gone as far as preparing a police report on Muhyiddin’s behalf after the latter did not file a formal complaint over the allegations he made during a special address to the nation.

Section 25(1) of the MACC Act states "any person to whom any gratification is given, promised, or offered, in contravention of any provision of this Act, shall report such gift, promise or offer together with the name, if known, of the person who gave, promised or offered such gratification to the nearest officer of the Commission or police officer."

Section 25(2) then states "Any person who fails to comply with subsection (1) commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or to both."

Gratification is broadly defined in section 3 of the Act to include favours of any description and section 23 deals with offences of using office or position for gratification.

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