Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has denied an allegation by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that he stole party funds and kept the money at his home, describing the claim as reckless and completely unfounded.
In a statement today, Muhyiddin said the allegation, made in a viral video featuring Mahathir, was based purely on speculation and false information allegedly supplied by irresponsible parties.
He stressed that he had never misappropriated party funds, adding that all contributions to Bersatu are deposited into official party accounts managed transparently by the party’s treasurer-general.
Muhyiddin said Mahathir should have sought clarification from him privately before making such accusations in public.
“In the many meetings I have had with him, he has never raised this matter with me in person,” he said.
He said he felt compelled to clarify the issue to prevent damage to his reputation and to stop the spread of slander.
Despite the allegation, Muhyiddin said he continued to respect Mahathir and supported his efforts to foster Malay unity.
“For that reason, I have no intention of taking legal action against Mahathir,” he added.
Yesterday, Johor Bersatu Youth claimed that a video clip recorded during their recent meeting with Mahathir had been “manipulated” by certain irresponsible parties for the political benefit of certain individuals.
A two-minute clip of the meeting, in which Mahathir purportedly accused Muhyiddin of stealing the party’s funds, has gone viral on social media.
