RM25.3m payment for Jana Wibawa projects, not political donations to Bersatu: Witness

A former Malaysian prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, is currently on trial for seven charges related to the Jana Wibawa programme, a government initiative launched during the Covid-19 pandemic to support Bumiputera contractors. According to a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer, the funds transferred to Bersatu, a political party, were not political donations but rather payments made in exchange for Muhyiddin's assistance in securing construction projects under the Jana Wibawa programme.

MACC principal assistant commissioner Mazery Zaini testified that if the funds had been given even without the companies securing the projects, the situation would have been different. The investigation uncovered that multiple companies and an individual associated with securing Jana Wibawa projects deposited a total of RM25.3 million into Bersatu-controlled bank accounts. However, no receipts were found to confirm these contributions.

During his investigation, Mazery was unable to establish any direct evidence that Muhyiddin interfered with the ministry's assessment process. However, documents and witness statements revealed that the then-prime minister facilitated the companies' entry into the finance ministry's assessment stage.

The officer noted that the letters and minutes from Muhyiddin prompted the finance ministry to start considering the companies' applications, which ultimately led to their winning the projects. No witnesses mentioned Muhyiddin telling the Cabinet about the donations, nor did they indicate that he had met with Azman Yusoff, the managing director of KCJ Engineering, to discuss the funds.

Mazery concluded that Muhyiddin asked Azman to channel money to Bersatu after the prime minister's request. Azman was found guilty of soliciting bribes from companies in exchange for helping them secure Jana Wibawa projects but was not charged with or detained for these charges. The trial, presided over by Justice Noor Ruwena Nurdin, is set to continue on the following day.