Bersatu fails in bid to lift freeze on bank accounts

Bersatu failed in its bid to lift the freeze on its two bank accounts, with the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling that MACC did not abuse its power.

Judge Aliza Sulaiman, in online proceedings today, said Bersatu failed to establish that the anti-graft agency’s actions were illegal, procedurally improper, irrational, done in bad faith, or constituted misfeasance in public office.

The freeze order, she said, was in compliance with Section 44(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Anti-Restricted Activity Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities 2001.

“The court finds that the freezing order is not unlawful (therefore) the applicant’s submissions on this point, as a matter of logical consequence, have no merit,” said Aliza.

The judge also ruled that MACC was not wrong to request that the Immigration Department impose a travel ban on Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin during the agency’s probe in 2023.

“I accept that MACC is allowed to do so (request a travel ban) on Muhyiddin, for the purpose of ensuring a criminal investigation can be carried out unimpeded,” she said, making no order as to costs.

Lawyer Rosli Dahlan represented Bersatu while senior federal counsel Nurhaffiza Azizan appeared for the government.

Bid to unfreeze accounts

Muhyiddin is on trial for four charges of abuse of power and two counts of money laundering involving RM232.5 million and RM195 million.

Bersatu, through its public officer Suhaimi Yahya and Muhyiddin, filed the judicial review application on March 9, 2023, challenging the order freezing their CIMB and AmBank bank accounts.

Former MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki, then-attorney-general Idrus Harun and 20 others were named as respondents.

The party filed a separate application on May 29 the same year, contending that both accounts were frozen in April 2023 without a seizure order being issued under Section 50(1) of Amla.

Both applications were heard before Aliza.

Muhyiddin trial: Bank filed reports over suspicious transactions to Bersatu, court told

Muhyiddin trial: Bank officers testify RM5m deposited into Bersatu account

Four cheques totalling RM800k paid to Bersatu by engineering company, court told

Court sets June 18 to decide on Bersatu's bid to unfreeze accounts