Malaysia ex-PM Muhyiddin pleads innocent in corruption case

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was charged Friday with corruption and money laundering, making him Malaysia’s second ex-leader to be indicted after leaving office.

Muhyiddin, 75, pleaded innocent to four charges of abusing his power to obtain bribes for his party and two charges of money laundering. He was arrested Thursday by the anti-graft agency but released on bail, slamming the charges against him as political persecution to crush his opposition alliance ahead of state elections.

The charges came after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who took power in November, ordered a review of government projects approved by past administrations including Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia from March 2020 until August 2021.

Two senior members from Muhyiddin’s Bersatu party were recently charged with graft. The anti-graft agency has also frozen Bersatu’s party accounts.