KUALA LUMPUR: The freeze on Bersatu’s party accounts is affecting its administration and operations, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Perikatan Nasional chairman said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should unfreeze the accounts once it finds no wrongdoing in its probe.
“If they want to freeze our accounts for three months, it will be hard. My officers will have no salaries, offices cannot be maintained and rent cannot be paid.
“It will affect our administration and also our role as an important party in the country,” Muhyiddin told a press conference yesterday.
The former prime minister and Bersatu president said the party also needed funds for the upcoming state elections.
Six states are due for state elections this year – Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
Muhyiddin also said that Bersatu had submitted a request to the MACC to lift the freeze on its bank accounts yesterday.
“The MACC is aware of the funds in Bersatu’s accounts.
“We have proper financial records, and the funds are also from legitimate sources,” he said.
He hoped that the freeze was not a ploy by the unity government to disrupt Perikatan’s election machinery in the looming state polls.
“If this step is taken, it will affect our efforts in election activities as well as assistance to our friends in Perikatan,” he said.
However, Muhyiddin said he was confident the MACC would carry out professional and transparent investigations.
“I guarantee that Bersatu will fully cooperate with the MACC in its investigations,” he added.
Bersatu is currently being investigated under the Money Laundering Act and the MACC Act.
According to MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, two Bersatu accounts were frozen a fortnight ago.
Azam said the probe was not linked to the alleged abuse of Covid-19 funds.
