Muhyiddin: Donations went into party's bank accounts, not my pockets

 

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said none of the funds from the six corruption charges against him went into his pockets, as all of the donation money went into the party's bank accounts. - NSTP/EIZAIRI SHAMSUDIN

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said none of the funds from the six corruption charges against him went into his pockets, as all of the donation money went into the party's bank accounts.

In his presidential speech at the Bersatu annual general meeting, he said he was a victim of selective political prosecution as the Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional president and the main challenger to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He challenged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate both Anwar and Ahmad Zahid as party presidents as to where their parties received their funds.

He said this is first time in the last century that a political party president was charged for the donations their party received.

"The main sources of a political party's funds are donations from party members and supporters, including businessmen, tycoons and philanthropists who support the party's cause.

"For Bersatu, in order to ensure transparency and integrity in financial management, I have set regulations so that every contribution to Bersatu must enter directly to the party's bank account and not to my account, or through me.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the Fifth Annual General Meeting of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU) which was held at Dewan Wawasan, Menara PGRM, Cheras.- NSTP/EIZAIRI SHAMSUDIN

"Every donation is managed transparently by the treasurer-general who oversees the party's financial affairs in accordance with his responsibilities under the party's constitution. The party's accounts are audited by certified auditors and presented in the annual-general meeting to be examined by the delegates," he said.

He added that Umno was the dominant party in the Federal Government and the party also led the state governments of Perlis, Perak, Pahang, Melaka and Johor.

"Does Umno not accept political fund contributions from members businesses?

"PKR leads the Selangor and Negri Sembilan state government. Do they not receive political donations from businessmen?

"Many reports have been made by our party members so that the MACC will investigate the sources of funds of these parties. But what is being investigated is just Bersatu," he said adding that other parties and their presidents had been excluded (from a similar treatment). - NST