Umno leaders have sprung into attack mode after more top politicians, including Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, were implicated in graft in the corruption trial against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Among others, they argue that the disclosure that other politicians had received kickbacks from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd shows selective prosecution.
While they did not deny Zahid’s possible corruption, Umno leaders pressure PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob to be firm in pushing for Muhyiddin’s (above) prosecution.
They also pushed for an investigation against then Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Latheefa Koya for not pursuing a case against Muhyiddin, who at the time was part of the Pakatan Harapan government.
Latheefa, who was once a PKR politician, resigned when appointed MACC chief after Harapan came into power in May 2018.
‘Harapan targetted BN’
Honing in on this, Umno Supreme Council member Razlan Rafii said the testimony by UKSB staff that millions were paid to top politicians should not have come as a surprise to Latheefa.
This includes RM1.3 million to Muhyiddin on June 4, July 4, and Aug 23, 2018.
It also shows that she had selectively chosen not to prosecute the others, with only Zahid standing to face charges of corruption.
“Harapan in its campaign clearly wanted corruption eliminated, and had incited the people to reject BN because of corruption.
“And yet, what seems to have happened was the details of this case had come to the knowledge of MACC and this was used in a corrupt manner by Harapan.
“Latheefa should thus be investigated and brought to justice for collusion after knowing that Muhyiddin received RM1.3 million,” he said.
He said this shows that Latheefa was appointed “to investigate Harapan’s enemies” and to politically assassinate BN leaders.
As such, he demanded an independent probe against the Latheefa on whether she had wilfully turned a blind eye on allegations of kickbacks paid to Muhyiddin.
Latheefa did not respond to Malaysiakini’s request for comment.
Muhyiddin has denied receiving RM1.3 million from UKSB while the Bersatu president at the time, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the party, too, did not receive the sum.
‘Holy Muhyiddin’s mask has fallen’
Meanwhile, Johor Umno deputy liaison chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the disclosure has exposed “holy” Muhyiddin’s true self.
“On June 17, the fake mask of the most holy Bersatu president and former premier Muhyiddin slipped to reveal his evil character.
“After his name was raised in the UKSB trial, Muhyiddin, the child of a religious teacher, can no longer act as a pious leader by reciting prayers on live television,” Nur Jazlan said.
He added the same can be said for others who were named as recipients of kickbacks, including Warisan chief Shafie Apdal, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, former foreign minister Anifah Aman and Anifah’s deputy Reezal Merican.
Anifah has denied receiving kickbacks from UKSB.
“If Zahid is labelled a sinner and part of the court cluster after he was accused and charged with receiving bribes from UKSB, then what about the other five? Are Muhyiddin and the five others infallible (maksum)?” he asked.
He said, logically, if Zahid is corrupt then all others named should be guilty too.
“But why must Zahid alone accept this selective prosecution? Is it because Zahid is the enemy of the six brothers, so he must be trapped, betrayed, and done in?” he asked.
As such, he urged that the MACC urgently investigate the other six and that Attorney-General’s Chambers charge them in court with corruption.
“Or, at the very least, the prosecution must call the six politicians to testify so the full truth will be revealed,” he said.
He also urged Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to take a strong stance to ensure justice is served.
“I am certain this PM, who is from Umno, will not let the investigation against Muhyiddin be classified as no further action or disappear just like that, as what may have happened during the Harapan era.
“The PM would want to protect his and Umno’s good reputation so as to not be a tool of others in Perikatan Nasional.
“He has done enough to shoulder the burdens left to him by political partners in this coalition government, which has continued to use threats to ensure the survivability of an elite group,” he said.
Zahid is facing multiple charges of receiving kickbacks from UKSB to secure government contracts from 2014 to 2018.
UKSB’s ex-director Harry Lee testified that the company paid Zahid S$200,000 (RM630,000) per month in 2014 and the payment increased to S$520,000 per month sometime in 2017. - Mkini
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