KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) has called for the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to explain in full of its decision to withdraw criminal charges against Tan Sri Musa Aman that led to his acquittal earlier today.
The council said it was troubled and disappointed by the decision made by the AGC, noting that the nearly four dozen charges of corruption and money laundering related to the award of logging contracts during Musa’s tenure as Sabah’s chief minister was not a miniscule figure which involved a considerable sum of money.
“The whole nation watched today how the High Court made the decision to discharge and acquit Tan Sri Musa Aman after the AGC withdrew their charges against him.
“Therefore, the AGC need to immediately provide a full explanation on its decision as it will mirror the true image of the existing administration,” the council said in a joint statement signed by the secretaries-general of the respective component parties.
An hour after PH came out with its comments, the AGC issued an official statement on the matter.
This is the second high-profile discharge of personalities linked to the previous Barisan Nasional administration since the new PN government was installed in March.
Last month, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz — the stepson of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak — was conditionally discharged of laundering over US$248 million (or equivalent to over RM1.075 billion based on the currency exchange rate on May 14 when he was conditionally discharged) in funds linked to the 1MDB scandal.
Musa was charged in 2018 with 35 counts of bribery involving US$63.3 million (equivalent to RM270.13 million by today's currency exchange rate) and 16 counts of money laundering in 2019.
However, five of the 35 counts of bribery charges were withdrawn by the prosecution in 2019, leaving 46 criminal charges in total.
The bribes were allegedly inducement to give timber concessions contracts to 16 companies.
The charges were proffered under Section 11(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 that carries a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The money laundering charges related to US$37.8 million and S$2.5 million he was accused of committing more than 10 years ago.
The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison as well as a fine of no less than five times the amount of illegal proceeds or RM5 million — whichever is higher — upon conviction.
