Muhyiddin says Bersatu accounts audited, all clean; hopes MACC will unfreeze money for state polls
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Bersatu will be writing to the Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) to lift the suspension of the party’s bank accounts soon as it needs to pay its staff salaries and prepare for the six state elections that must be held this year.
Its president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the party’s 2021 and 2022 accounts have been audited and can be proven to be from verifiable sources.
He added that the monies for its election funds were channelled direct into the party’s accounts and not through individual accounts.
“We have no money to pay for administrative salaries. It is not just hard for my officers who will have no salaries, maintenance and rents to the office as well, it would affect the effectiveness of the party to work for the country,” he told reporters at Kampung Baru here where the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, of which Bersatu is a component party, held a retreat.
Muhyiddin said Bersatu has fully cooperated with the MACC and hoped that the commission will unfreeze its bank accounts soon after confirming that none of the party funds have been transferred to individuals or abused in any way.
“Need funds to pay the cost of the election campaign in six states,” he said.
He hoped the suspension would not be used by those in authority to “paralyse” the party or PN’s preparation for the coming state elections.
“If this step is taken, it can hinder our efforts to get involved in state election activities to help friends in PN and so on.
“I believe MACC conducts a transparent investigation and Bersatu are professionals and will cooperate fully to complete the investigation,” he added.
MACC confirmed yesterday that it had suspended Bersatu’s bank accounts to facilitate investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 that began last December.
It is understood that the accounts in question were frozen as part of the MACC’s probe into alleged irregularities in the use of RM600 billion worth of public funds meant for the Covid-19 pandemic when Muhyiddin was prime minister.
Several news reports also suggested that the MACC action was linked to allegations that Bersatu received donations from about 10 contractors who were said to have procured various public projects when the party was in government.
It is thought the donations amounted to more than RM300 million.
