KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin refuted allegations that the coalition had RM4.5 billion in its coffers for the 15th general election (GE15).
Commenting on claims that the coalition spent massive amounts of money on GE15 campaigning, and the ongoing Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) probe into some RM92.5 billion in government funds spent during the pandemic, Muhyiddin said the entire slander was fabricated to weaken PN.
The former prime minister and Bersatu president said most of the fiscal expenditures under economic stimulus packages was not in the form of projects that can be misused, but in direct cash injections to the people such as Bantuan Prihatin National (BPN), Prihatin Grants and Wage Subsidies, making kickbacks impossible.
"How can these fund be misappropriated if it is a direct cash grant to the people?
"That the commission collected 3 to 5 per cent of this fiscal expenditure is also fictitious. How can I collect commissions from these expenses? Will the 10.6 million people who receive BPN give me a commission? Do the 2.96 million workers who receive wage subsidies pay me a commission? Of course not.
"So if they did not give me a commission as alleged, where did the RM4.5 billion for Bersatu come from that was allegedly embezzled from the RM92.5 billion fund? This is clearly nonsense and a fabricated story. The fact is, there is no RM4.5 billion funds in Bersatu's account or my account,” he said in a long statement today.
On PN’s lavish election expenditure, Muhyiddin said flags, shirts and merchandise purchased for the coalition were ordered years earlier at a cost almost four times cheaper than if they were to be printed close to the election date.
"That is why PN decided not to change the flag and logo used in GE15 despite such a proposal.
"This is because we have stocked earlier. If it were to be reprinted, all available stock will be wasted in addition to having to bear the cost that is many times higher to print new flags and merchandise.
"PN has no funds for that purpose,” he said.
Muhyiddin added that the usage of such false stories is to slander the image of Bersatu and PN, saying that Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) wanted to weaken the coalition before the upcoming state elections.
He added that his party is ready to cooperate with the MACC in its investigation and is confident that no wrongdoing would be found against it.
"PH-BN is afraid of their own shadow. They are anxious to see PN get the support of at least 62 per cent of Malays and Bumiputera in GE15.
"With BN joining PH, support for the coalition formed on the basis of lies to the voters will further decline, as was proven in the Padang Serai and Tioman by-elections.
"So I think they are afraid of the PN's progress in the state election (PRN) involving six states in Peninsular Malaysia in the next few months. Because of that, the PH-BN government will continue to commit character assassination against PN and me by throwing various malicious accusations that are baseless,” he said.
