CONTROVERSIAL blogger Hussein Hamid a.k.a. Steadyaku47 is in the midst of highlighting the intertwining relationship between politics and business in Malaysia which he claimed has cost the Malays and Malaysia a significant financial burden. 

In the maiden part of his exposé, Hussein who is believed to be residing in Melbourne focused his piece on the rise of corporate tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary who has been accused of making political donations to Bersatu which is helmed by former Prime Minister (PM) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. 

Yesterday (March 10), the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman was charged with four counts of abuse of power for using his position as the then PM to solicit RM232.5 mil in bribes from corporate entities, including Syed Mokhtar which the ex-PM never denied. 

Additionally, Muhyiddin also faces two more charges of money laundering, wherein his party received RM195 mil out of the total sum from illegal activities with money deposits found in Bersatu’s bank accounts which the authorities consider bribes from three companies and an individual. 

The companies are Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, and Mamfor Sdn Bhd while the individual is one Datuk Azman Yusoff (who happens to be president of the Bumiputera Contractors’ Association), according to news reports. 

The Pagoh MP was further charged with receiving proceeds from illegal activities amounting to RM195 mil out of the RM232.5 mil from Bukhary Equity. 

In his blog post, Hussein began by questioning the sources of Syed Mokhtar’s wealth and how he has been able to donate large sums of money to political figures. 

In so doing, the writer highlighted various projects and deals that Syed Mokhtar has been involved in over the years, including the acquisition of Johor’s container ports and the Senai airport concession.  

“And what manner of wealth has made it possible for Syed Mokhtar to donate RM195 mil to the coffers of Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN)?” penned Hussein in his blog. 

“The same Muhyiddin who was MB (Menteri Besar) of Johor 40 years back when Syed Mokhtar with the help of Muhyiddin the then MB, managed to get his hands on some of the 7,000 acres of Swee Lam Estate owned by Singaporean Chinese to develop into mixed housing development by seeking - through the forced acquisition of the same land - for the Senai Airport?’” 

From here on, Hussein went on to question whether there has been collusion involved in these projects and whether Syed Mokhtar has gained undue advantages due to his political connections. 

The writer even invited his readers to continue on the journey that he has just embarked upon to untangle the complex mix of politics and business in Malaysia. 

In this critical analysis of the intersection between politics and business in Malaysia, Hussein raised important questions about accountability and transparency in the country’s economic landscape. 

“Any way you want to look at it, politics and business in Malaysia feed off each other incestuously and have cost the Malays and this nation, a hideous financial burden that will need more than MADANI and DSAI (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) to resolve,” he wrote. 

He described the deals as “shadowy, dark, murky, and massively profitable mix of politics and business among Malay politicians and Malay businessmen”. 

“This is best exemplified by the rise and rise of Syed Mokhtar from 40 years back - starting in Johor when Muhyiddin was MB - and taking full circle today when again that same Muhyiddin, now ex-PM and PN president, is accused of receiving RM195 mil in political donations from the same Syed Mokhtar.” - March 11, 2023 

https://focusmalaysia.my/a-40-year-muhyiddin-syed-mokhtars-entangled-web-of-politics-and-business-exposed/