MACC defends seizure of Bersatu bank accounts

MACC today defended its seizure of Bersatu bank accounts, saying that the action was taken according to Section 50(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (Amlatfapuaa) 2001.

The agency's director of Legal and Prosecution Division, Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said the accounts were seized by MACC because they were connected to investigation and prosecution, and thus cannot be released until Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s money laundering is concluded.

"Section 50(1) stipulates the seizure of movable property in financial institutions, and in this case, the deputy public prosecutor was using his power to order for such assets to be seized and for the financial institutions not to release or dispose of the properties until the order is changed or rescinded.

"Thus, the time period for the seizure of the assets in question has been clearly stated in Section 52A of the same act.

"It says that any order to seize (assets) under this act shall stop being in force after 12 months from the date it was seized if the person against whom the order was made is not charged with an offence under this act," he said in a statement today.

Shaharuddin was commenting on a statement by Muhyiddin yesterday, who said the party was mulling legal action against MACC for freezing its bank accounts.

The former prime minister claimed that it was unlawful for MACC to continue blocking Bersatu's access to the accounts for more than 12 months.

Last year, MACC froze and later seized several bank accounts that were linked to Bersatu.

Following this, Muhyiddin was charged with abuse of power and money laundering linked to the Jana Wibawa programme, in which the former premier was accused of using Bersatu's accounts to receive millions in proceeds from unlawful activities.

The High Court had initially acquitted Muhyiddin, but this was later quashed by the Court of Appeal.

Shahruddin said: "I hope the public would understand that all actions taken by authorities in this case were made according to the law.

"And for the accused, they have every opportunity to defend and prove their innocence according to the law.”

Bersatu raised funds for assembly, VP says amid frozen funds

Bersatu is new 'suffering party' - Tun Faisal jabs at PKR

Abuse of power if PM pressures MACC on Sabah graft scandal: PKR leader