KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General's Chambers recently claimed that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is attempting to delay his power abuse case linked to the Jana Wibawa scandal.
The former prime minister is seeking a postponement from the Sessions Court to delay the trial pending the outcome of his review application to reinstate his discharge and acquittal (DAA) at the Court of Appeal.
Deputy public prosecutor Xander Lim Wai Keong in his affidavit to object Muhyiddin's application of stay said the reasons put forward by the latter did not constitute 'exceptional or unusual circumstances'.
He said there are no compelling reasons or strong public interests in the case that warrant the suspension of trial proceedings while awaiting the Appellate Court's review application hearing and decision.
"This application is a move or attempt to delay the hearing and deliberation of this case by the court by filing for a review permission, even though the respondent's appeal in the Court of Appeal was resolved on Feb 28.
"The decision of the Court of Appeal is final and cannot be appealed to the Federal Court.
"The application (for review) is trivial and an abuse of the court process because the reasons presented are unfounded and there are no extraordinary circumstances to justify the review," he said.
It was reported on April 25 that a five-member bench of the Court of Appeal will hear the Pagoh member of parliament's final legal bid to restore his DAA on July 9.
The court will also hear the prosecution's preliminary objections on the same date.
The 76-year-old Bersatu president is appealing against the decision of a Court of Appeal bench comprising Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail, Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Datuk S.M. Komathy Suppiah. The judges, on Feb 28, allowed the prosecution to reinstate the four abuse of power charges and ordered that the case be remitted to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
A High Court judge had on Aug 15 last year acquitted and released Muhyiddin. He ruled that the charges were defective and in bad faith.
The Jana Wibawa programme was carried out during Muhyiddin's premiership.
On March 10 last year, Muhyiddin was charged with four counts of using his positions as prime minister and Bersatu president to obtain bribes amounting to RM232.5 million from three companies — Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd and Mamfor Sdn Bhd — as well as Datuk Azman Yusoff.
He had allegedly committed the offences at the prime minister's office in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021.
On April 18, Muhyiddin, who is also Perikatan Nasional chairman, filed an application to quash the four charges.
