PUTRAJAYA, April 16 — The Court of Appeal has set July 9 to hear former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s application for leave to review the decision of its previous panel to reinstate the four power abuse charges involving RM232.5 million against him.
On the same day, the court will also hear the prosecution’s preliminary objection, filed on April 1, to object to Muhyiddin’s application on grounds that it was trivial and an abuse of the court process.
The hearing date was fixed today during the case management before Court of Appeal senior assistant registrar Nurul Azrina Mohamed Yusof.
Muhyiddin’s lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik confirmed the date when contacted.
He told Bernama that during the case management, the defence team requested a five-man panel of judges to hear Muhyiddin’s application but was told to write in for the Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim to consider the matter.
Muhyiddin, also represented by seven other lawyers, including Datuk K. Kumaraendran and Chetan Jethwani, filed the application on March 27.
He is seeking the court to set aside the Court of Appeal’s previous decision to reinstate the four charges against him that the High Court had struck out.
In the notice of motion, Muhyiddin said the Court of Appeal’s decision was null as it was made without the jurisdiction required under Section 50(1) of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964.
Muhyiddin, 76, as prime minister and Bersatu president at the time, was charged with using his position for bribes amounting to RM232.5 million from three companies, namely Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, and Mamfor Sdn Bhd, as well as Datuk Azman Yusoff for the party concerned.
He is accused of committing the act at the Prime Minister’s Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra, Federal Government Administration Center in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020, and August 20, 2021.
The Bersatu president also faces two charges of receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM195 million from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which was deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB Bank account.
He was charged with committing the offence at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral between February 25 and July 16, 2021, and between February 8 and July 8, 2022.
— Bernama
