PARTI Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is definitely not having the time of his life since he got ousted from Putrajaya unceremoniously by several UMNO MP’s last year.

Since then, reports have emerged on how Muhyiddin is trying to become prime minister again by talking to several opposition parties, as revealed by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal earlier this year.

Interestingly, he even went back to party founder, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for support but was rebuked – deservingly so, nonetheless.

Mahathir now serves as the chairman of Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, a splinter party of Bersatu. Oddly enough, Bersatu itself is a splinter party of UMNO.

Last week, a former administrative manager of UKSB told the High Court that Muhyiddin had received RM1.3 mil from the company between June and August 2018.

The expose was made during the corruption trial involving former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Tan added he kept spreadsheet files involving payments made to Zahid and other “ministers, politicians and Government staff”.

Take note that Muhyiddin was serving as home minister under the Pakatan Harapan administration back then.

However, I would like to point out what Mahathir said about the expose made. According to a report by Malaysiakini today, the nonagenarian said that Bersatu did not receive the RM1.3 mil mentioned and had cast doubt over Tan’s statement.

“As the Bersatu’s chairman back then, the money didn’t reach the party treasurer. I don’t know if (the allegations) are true or not. What I know is the money did not reach our coffers.

“All (donations to the party) are not kept by the recipient but by the treasurer. As far as I know, Muhyiddin did not hand the (purported) RM1.3 mil to the treasurer,” Mahathir was reported as saying.

Now, at one read one may assume that Mahathir is attempting to trivialise the matter but do read between the lines; the Langkawi MP’s statement is actually putting Muhyiddin in a tight spot!

Let us dissect the matter. As for Mahathir casting doubt on Tan’s claims, one must remember that the ex-manager gave the testimony in court. Those well-versed in court matters know that lying under oath is an offence that carries jail time.

Hence, it is very unlikely that Tan was lying in court, given that he could be sent to prison.

So, Mahathir had actually laid a trap on Muhyiddin and Bersatu treasurer Datuk Mohamed Salleh Bajuri.

If Salleh counters Mahathir’s claims by saying that Bersatu did receive the funds, it means Muhyiddin did receive UKSB’s money and prove that the Pagoh MP had lied when he dismissed what Tan had said last week.

Trap laid

And this would definitely warrant an investigation from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Muhyiddin.

However, if Salleh agrees with Mahathir and says no UKSB funds ever reached Bersatu, it can be assumed that Muhyiddin had pocketed the sum for himself.

Again, I must remind all that it is very unlikely for Tan to lie about it, given that he could face jail time if he did.

This is where, I believe, Mahathir had trapped Muhyiddin and one must wonder how the latter and Salleh are going to wriggle themselves out of it.

Make no mistake about it. Mahathir is still sore with Muhyiddin for his treachery that collapsed the Pakatan Harapan administration in 2020, hence ousting the former as the prime minister.

And Muhyiddin did himself no favours by kicking the old man out of the party that the latter had founded.

What I find puzzling about Muhyiddin is that despite spending almost his entire political life under Mahathir’s shadow, he forgot that the nonagenarian is a vengeful person and will definitely make his adversaries pay for their transgressions.

In any case, it would be wise for Muhyiddin and Salleh to tread carefully on the matter, given that many other top-ranking politicians’ names were also exposed in the graft trial.

And it pains ordinary Malaysians like me to see how corruption has become deeply embedded in the Malaysian political-business nexus. If we remain oblivious to the sins of graft, one day we will end up being failed state. – June 20, 2022