https://www.scmp.com/rss/505996/feed The latest news on Muhyiddin Yassin, Malaysian politician and former Prime Minister of Malaysia, including political news and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial opened in Kuala Lumpur on Monday with a courtroom fight over the admissibility of TikTok videos, which prosecutors hope will link millions of ringgit in illicit funds to his Bersatu party. Among the most keenly observed cases involving Malaysia’s political elite in years, the proceedings come three years after Muhyiddin was first charged in connection with projects under his administration’s Covid-19 recovery efforts. Malaysian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346110/muhyiddins-corruption-trial-opens-fight-over-tiktok-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346110/muhyiddins-corruption-trial-opens-fight-over-tiktok-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:49:38 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief Azam Baki was summoned by a special committee set up to probe his stock ownership to explain the matter on Thursday, as authorities respond to calls for him to be investigated. The committee is examining the compliance and regularity of Azam’s share ownership based on the initial report it received, Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, chief secretary to the government, said in a statement on Sunday. It is still in the process of evaluating all evidence obtained and will call... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344265/malaysia-summons-anti-corruption-chief-stock-ownership-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344265/malaysia-summons-anti-corruption-chief-stock-ownership-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:18:01 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof At the halfway point of his term, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces trouble brewing inside his own camp as his long-time lieutenant Rafizi Ramli seizes the banner of reform and clean government that was once his own. Malaysia must hold its next general election by February 2028, but with both the governing coalition and the opposition facing internal power struggles, swathes of the electorate remain unconvinced by either side’s case to govern. For Anwar, who spent decades vying to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343921/rafizi-ramli-now-conscience-malaysias-reformasi-movement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343921/rafizi-ramli-now-conscience-malaysias-reformasi-movement?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:38:19 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s opposition is in open civil war, with a power struggle threatening to split the main bloc against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim just two years out from the next general election. Bersatu, or the Malaysian United Indigenous Party, sits at the core of Perikatan Nasional (PN), a conservative alliance whose appeal surged in the 2022 poll to become the largest opposition group after a hung parliament produced a unity government led by Anwar. A succession fight between party chief and former... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343160/malaysian-key-opposition-partys-power-struggle-threatens-dent-election-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343160/malaysian-key-opposition-partys-power-struggle-threatens-dent-election-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:09:45 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s king has issued a blunt warning to officials, saying his “hunt for the corrupt” will reach all levels as the country reels from a corruption scandal inside the armed forces that has implicated senior ranks. A former army chief and dozens of other officers and civilians have been arrested in recent weeks as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) seized 52 million ringgit (US$12.8 million) in cash, gold, cars and luxury watches. The anti-corruption body also froze 80 bank... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340423/malaysias-king-vows-wider-hunt-corrupt-military-scandal-engulfs-top-ranks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340423/malaysias-king-vows-wider-hunt-corrupt-military-scandal-engulfs-top-ranks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysian prosecutors said on Thursday that they have put an end to their ‌corruption case against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, saying that ‍there was insufficient evidence to continue. The move by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) came more than two years after corruption charges against Ahmad Zahid, the leader of a ⁠key partner in Malaysia’s ruling coalition, were dropped to allow prosecutors to conduct further investigations. The Kuala Lumpur High Court in September 2023... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339209/malaysia-ends-corruption-case-against-pm-anwars-deputy-ahmad-zahid-over-lack-evidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339209/malaysia-ends-corruption-case-against-pm-anwars-deputy-ahmad-zahid-over-lack-evidence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:18:34 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s opposition was thrown into fresh uncertainty on Tuesday by the surprise resignation of its coalition chairman, former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, capping months of internal bickering over leadership with less than two years left before national polls must be held. Muhyiddin, who formed the Malay nationalist Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition in 2020 while he was still in power, made his announcement after rumours swirled overnight that he had bowed to pressure from coalition... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338170/muhyiddins-shock-resignation-leaves-malaysias-opposition-facing-fresh-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338170/muhyiddins-shock-resignation-leaves-malaysias-opposition-facing-fresh-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:57:07 +0000 Zuraidah Ibrahim Zuraidah Ibrahim Tengku Zafrul Aziz is rarely seen without his signature gleaming white smile and well-tailored suit over a trim physique and flat tummy, evidence of a strict exercise regimen. Malaysia’s minister of investment, trade and industry jokes that he is often mistaken for a Singaporean politician when abroad, perhaps because of his lean appearance and – this part is unspoken – his technocratic background. But there is one difference: “You can ask me anything on stage and I’ll try to answer.” Despite... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334566/malaysias-tengku-zafrul-us-trade-deal-umno-and-looking-singapore-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334566/malaysias-tengku-zafrul-us-trade-deal-umno-and-looking-singapore-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysian opposition party Bersatu on Tuesday sacked an MP and four local leaders for breaching ethics, as splits emerge inside the Malay-Muslim coalition over their candidate for prime minister in national elections slated to be held by 2028. Rumblings of a leadership tussle have dogged Bersatu for weeks, culminating in a brief stand-off at the party’s annual meeting on September 6, when some members heckled Muhyiddin Yassin while the party president was delivering his opening speech. At that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328947/malaysian-opposition-party-sacks-mp-4-leaders-rift-deepens-ahead-national-polls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328947/malaysian-opposition-party-sacks-mp-4-leaders-rift-deepens-ahead-national-polls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 08:06:31 +0000 Khairy Jamaluddin Khairy Jamaluddin Malaysia’s political system is not a presidential one and is instead based on the Westminster model; but there is an increasing tendency for its parties to want to name a presidential-style “poster boy”. This is partly due to the charismatic personality of the incumbent prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, which makes political contests in Malaysia a battle of personalities rather than policies. But beyond that, it also speaks to the internal jockeying that is taking place within the different... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3327824/malaysias-politics-becoming-ageing-poster-boy-personality-contest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3327824/malaysias-politics-becoming-ageing-poster-boy-personality-contest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Depending on who you ask, Anwar Ibrahim is either on a mission to liberate Malaysia from decades of corruption or settling old political scores under the guise of reform. The latest target of the prime minister’s anti-graft investigators? His 100-year-old arch rival and former mentor, Mahathir Mohamad. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission recently disclosed that British authorities were assisting with its more than year-long investigation into assets allegedly linked to Mahathir, who twice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326155/anwar-vs-mahathir-malaysias-corruption-showdown-comes-full-circle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326155/anwar-vs-mahathir-malaysias-corruption-showdown-comes-full-circle?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Agencies,Joseph Sipalan Agencies,Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Saturday faced calls to step down as thousands of protesters descended on the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to demand that he live up to his promise to lower living costs and restore subsidies that were slashed under his watch. About 20,000 people turned up for the “Turun Anwar” (“Resign Anwar”) rally organised by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). The protest accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of unfulfilled campaign promises,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319677/malaysias-capital-braces-resign-anwar-rally-against-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319677/malaysias-capital-braces-resign-anwar-rally-against-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jul 2025 05:29:30 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad turned 100 on Thursday, marking a rare milestone for any world leader while defying age with his sharp mind and relentless work ethic. Mahathir’s social media platforms have been inundated with well-wishes over the last few days from Malaysians as well as admirers abroad, particularly in the Muslim world, where he is seen as an icon of moderate Muslim leadership who dares to speak up against the West. The two-time prime minister, whose 24 years... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3317612/malaysias-mahathir-turns-100-proving-age-no-barrier-political-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3317612/malaysias-mahathir-turns-100-proving-age-no-barrier-political-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 01:03:08 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi The bankruptcy of high-profile fashion designer Jovian Mandagie, the former son-in-law of Malaysia’s ex-prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, has brought renewed attention to the growing scandals surrounding the former leader’s family. Jovian, once a household name in Malaysian and Indonesian fashion circles, was declared bankrupt by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Thursday for failing to repay a US$1.25 million loan to an engineering firm. The court ruling comes amid ongoing investigations by... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317023/ex-malaysian-pm-ismail-sabris-family-hit-scandal-former-son-law-declared-bankrupt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317023/ex-malaysian-pm-ismail-sabris-family-hit-scandal-former-son-law-declared-bankrupt?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 12:29:45 +0000 Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan The Malaysian appeal court on Wednesday quashed the corruption conviction of former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, admonishing the lower court for not throwing out the allegations of embezzling funds earlier. Syed Saddiq, a 33-year-old rising political star, was found guilty in 2023 of abetting a subordinate to withdraw 1 million ringgit (US$235,000) from his party Bersatu’s youth wing account, and misappropriating another 120,000 ringgit to fund his 2018 election... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3315748/malaysian-lawmaker-syed-saddiq-cleared-corruption-after-5-years-hell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3315748/malaysian-lawmaker-syed-saddiq-cleared-corruption-after-5-years-hell?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 05:32:46 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s home minister has been hit by a wave of public ridicule after his WhatsApp account was hacked, raising questions over the country’s digital protections when its top security official has been targeted by cyber criminals. Mobile phishing scams are rampant in Malaysia, with citizens frequently harassed by calls from fraudsters posing as police, banks or courts to extort money under the guise of criminal probes. The account of Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, head of the Home Ministry – which... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3311933/malaysias-home-minister-ridiculed-after-his-whatsapp-account-hacked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3311933/malaysias-home-minister-ridiculed-after-his-whatsapp-account-hacked?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 05:22:35 +0000 Malaysian whistle-blowers need stronger legal protections, a watchdog said on Friday, following a controversy in which a businessman who exposed alleged corruption in Sabah state was publicly admonished by the country’s anti-graft body for going public with his claims. Whistle-blowing is risky in Malaysia, owing to restrictive information laws, tight government control over the media, and the threat of criminal or civil charges being levelled against those who come forward with... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3306207/protect-not-punish-whistle-blowers-malaysian-corruption-watchdog-urges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3306207/protect-not-punish-whistle-blowers-malaysian-corruption-watchdog-urges?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Apr 2025 11:02:29 +0000 Former Malaysian prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob met anti-graft officials on Thursday, after multiple delays in a multimillion-dollar corruption investigation that has outraged residents worn down by the cascade of such allegations involving senior politicians. Ismail Sabri is the latest former leader to be hauled up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which has gone after prominent politicians and tycoons since Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim came to power in 2022. The country’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3302195/former-malaysian-pm-ismail-sabri-finally-meets-anti-corruption-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3302195/former-malaysian-pm-ismail-sabri-finally-meets-anti-corruption-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 05:52:37 +0000 Shock reverberated around Malaysia when news broke earlier this week that former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was named a suspect in a corruption investigation linked to 170 million ringgit (US$38.6 million) in cash, gold and other items seized at alleged safe houses run by his senior aides. The uproar came not so much from Ismail Sabri being named a suspect, but the sheer amount of cash found along with 16 gold bars and luxury Hublot watches. The fact that Ismail Sabri was named a suspect... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3301330/malaysias-corruption-carousel-here-we-go-again-ismail-sabri-third-ex-pm-implicated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3301330/malaysias-corruption-carousel-here-we-go-again-ismail-sabri-third-ex-pm-implicated?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Mar 2025 01:30:17 +0000 Stacks of cash, gold bars, Hublot watches, and another former prime minister in the crosshairs of an anti-corruption investigation – it is Groundhog Day for many Malaysians in a country where politics often comes with a price tag. On Monday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) named Ismail Sabri Yaakob as a suspect in a corruption case which has also implicated four of his lieutenants after nearly US$38 million worth of euros, yen and dollars were found stacked in plastic-wrapped... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3300993/malaysians-appalled-another-corruption-probe-involving-ex-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3300993/malaysians-appalled-another-corruption-probe-involving-ex-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:30:10 +0000 Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has declared his wealth to authorities as part of an ongoing corruption and money-laundering probe, the anti-corruption agency said on Sunday, following the seizure of nearly US$40 million in assets allegedly linked to him. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said its investigation is focused on government publicity expenditure and procurement during the premiership of Ismail Sabri, who served as prime minister from August 2021 to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3300742/malaysias-ex-pm-ismail-declares-wealth-anti-corruption-agency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3300742/malaysias-ex-pm-ismail-declares-wealth-anti-corruption-agency?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:54:41 +0000 A Malaysian court has ordered opposition leader and former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to pay more than US$300,000 to another politician in a defamation case, state media said on Friday, adding to the former premier’s legal troubles. Muhyiddin, who was premier for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, is also charged with sedition for allegedly insulting a former king and is accused of corruption and money laundering in separate cases. The Kuala Lumpur High Court on Friday ordered Muhyiddin to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3285751/malaysian-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-ordered-pay-us300000-defaming-former-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3285751/malaysian-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-ordered-pay-us300000-defaming-former-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2024 07:28:51 +0000 Malaysia’s Johor state will be reverting to a Saturday-Sunday weekend from next year, its regent has announced. The state, which borders neighbouring Singapore, currently has its weekend on Friday and Saturday. In a statement on Monday, Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim announced that the change will take effect from January 1, 2025. The move followed consultation with the Johor Islamic Religious Council and had “the consent and blessing” of his father Sultan Ibrahim, Malaysia’s king,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3281348/malaysias-johor-state-reverts-saturday-sunday-weekend-after-11-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3281348/malaysias-johor-state-reverts-saturday-sunday-weekend-after-11-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2024 05:56:34 +0000 Four Malaysian states – Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu – have formed a joint company to pool their resources and share wealth. While it remains to be seen whether this new venture will attract investments to the four states governed by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), if the goal was to consolidate political power, it is both a timely and strategic move. In early September, it was reported that the four state governments ruled by the federal opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) had... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3281134/how-malaysias-pas-made-brilliant-move-consolidate-political-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3281134/how-malaysias-pas-made-brilliant-move-consolidate-political-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Oct 2024 04:00:07 +0000 Malaysia’s government did not influence anti-graft authorities into investigating former leader Mahathir Mohamad, a senior aide to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday, rebutting a Bloomberg report alleging Anwar demanded the probe to exact revenge on his chief political rival. According to a report published by Bloomberg on Thursday, Anwar allegedly ordered the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) to launch a graft probe on his former mentor and arch-rival, Mahathir. The report,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3280299/malaysian-pm-had-no-role-graft-probe-rival-mahathir-senior-anwar-aide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3280299/malaysian-pm-had-no-role-graft-probe-rival-mahathir-senior-anwar-aide?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Sep 2024 12:00:14 +0000 A Malaysian government lawmaker who was questioned by police for suggesting a review of mandatory halal certification for restaurants said on Wednesday she could do little more to douse outrage from conservatives and had not intended to challenge the country’s religious authorities. “I have said very clearly in my statement on [Friday] what had happened. If they still want to make an issue about it, I can’t help it,” Teresa Kok, a veteran MP from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), told This Week... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3278084/anwar-ally-teresa-kok-holds-firm-halal-plan-review-malaysian-police-continue-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3278084/anwar-ally-teresa-kok-holds-firm-halal-plan-review-malaysian-police-continue-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 07:45:16 +0000 A court in Malaysia has dismissed former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s application to review corruption charges filed against him, in a fresh blow for the opposition leader who is seen as one of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s biggest rivals. Appeal Court Judge Azizah Nawawi said on Wednesday the five-member panel would not pursue Muhyiddin’s case as the earlier bench had the jurisdiction to review the High Court decision, she said. Wednesday’s decision was unanimous, she added. Muhyiddin was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3278045/malaysias-muhyiddin-yassin-suffers-fresh-legal-blow-corruption-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3278045/malaysias-muhyiddin-yassin-suffers-fresh-legal-blow-corruption-case?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 04:32:07 +0000 Malaysia’s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin will be charged with sedition on Tuesday, police and his party have said, over alleged comments about the previous king’s appointment of Anwar Ibrahim instead of him after a tight 2022 general election. Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia between 2020 and 2021, will be the country’s first former leader to be charged under the colonial era law, and faces a maximum fine of 5,000 ringgit (US$1,140), up to three years’ jail or both if found guilty. He... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3275952/malaysias-ex-leader-muhyiddin-be-charged-sedition-over-remarks-monarchys-pm-pick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3275952/malaysias-ex-leader-muhyiddin-be-charged-sedition-over-remarks-monarchys-pm-pick?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Aug 2024 09:00:33 +0000 Malaysia’s ex-prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Wednesday declared his loyalty to the monarchy after police questioned him over comments about the previous king’s appointment of Anwar Ibrahim to lead the country following the split 2022 general election. Muhyiddin, who was Malaysia’s leader between 2020 and 2021, had said he mustered the support of 115 out of 222 lawmakers after the election and should have been named prime minister. Speaking during a by-election campaign last week, he said he... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3275364/malaysias-ex-pm-muhyiddin-swears-loyalty-monarchy-after-police-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3275364/malaysias-ex-pm-muhyiddin-swears-loyalty-monarchy-after-police-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2024 11:33:17 +0000 Alliances in Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government may be tested following a ruling by the parliamentary speaker to allow opposition MPs to retain their seats despite having been sacked by their party, testing the constitution’s anti-party hopping law designed to prevent political instability. The speaker’s decision will likely “come back to haunt” the government as it potentially paves the way for MPs on either side of the divide to break ranks in pursuit of their individual... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3270100/malaysias-anti-party-hopping-law-tested-controversial-ruling-sacked-mps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3270100/malaysias-anti-party-hopping-law-tested-controversial-ruling-sacked-mps?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jul 2024 10:03:37 +0000 A Malaysian appeal court on Wednesday reinstated charges of abuse of power against opposition leader and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, state news agency Bernama reported, in a fresh blow to the opposition leader. A Kuala Lumpur high court had thrown out the four charges and acquitted Muhyiddin in August, ruling those had not detailed his alleged offences. Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, had pleaded not guilty and had called the charges politically... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3253548/malaysia-court-reinstates-abuse-power-charges-against-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3253548/malaysia-court-reinstates-abuse-power-charges-against-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Feb 2024 11:35:07 +0000 Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency said it is ready to charge former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s son-in-law – who has been wanted by authorities since last year – for graft once he returns to the country. The investigation against Muhammad Adlan Berhan has been completed and “we are ready to prosecute” upon his return to the country, Azam Baki, Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission’s chief, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. Adlan faces several charges for criminal breach of trust, he... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3252832/malaysia-charge-ex-pm-muhyiddins-son-law-graft-anwar-continues-corruption-purge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3252832/malaysia-charge-ex-pm-muhyiddins-son-law-graft-anwar-continues-corruption-purge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:10:08 +0000 Malaysian anti-graft officials granted one of Mahathir Mohamad’s sons more time to declare his wealth amid an investigation into his business activities. Mirzan Mahathir was initially told on January 18 to declare all his assets within 30 days. Failure to do so could have seen him charged in court, which happened to Mahathir’s former adviser last month. “We are giving him the extension after he applied for additional time to declare his assets,” Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Azam... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3252309/malaysia-extends-deadline-mahathirs-son-mirzan-declare-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3252309/malaysia-extends-deadline-mahathirs-son-mirzan-declare-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Feb 2024 00:30:10 +0000 Malaysian opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin said he will stand in elections for his party’s presidency in upcoming internal polls, reversing a decision he made the previous day to step down from the role. Muhyiddin says Malaysia's opposition MPs being coerced to back PM Anwar The former prime minister told his Bersatu party on Saturday he had changed his mind after his wife urged him to “stay another term” and not disappoint his colleagues. This was after Bersatu’s top leaders on Friday... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242847/malaysian-opposition-leader-scraps-plan-step-down-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242847/malaysian-opposition-leader-scraps-plan-step-down-party?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Nov 2023 05:12:28 +0000 Malaysia’s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Friday he would step down next year as president of his party, raising questions over who will lead the Malay-dominated opposition alliance. Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, has served as the Bersatu party’s president since its formation in 2016, and he chairs the Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition bloc. A conservative Islamist party is a key component in the opposition alliance, and if Muhyiddin were to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242746/malaysia-opposition-leader-muhyiddin-yassin-step-down-party-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242746/malaysia-opposition-leader-muhyiddin-yassin-step-down-party-president?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:31:26 +0000 The main opposition party in Malaysia said some of its lawmakers were being coerced or bribed to shift their support to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and plans to lodge complaints with the police and anti-corruption agency. The Bersatu party, which leads the opposition alliance, found that four lawmakers were getting threatened with legal action or offered cash bribes to back Anwar, its president Muhyiddin Yassin said late on Thursday. Two of them were suspended from Bersatu and relieved of their... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3241098/muhyiddin-yassin-says-malaysias-main-opposition-mps-being-coerced-back-pm-anwar-ibrahim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3241098/muhyiddin-yassin-says-malaysias-main-opposition-mps-being-coerced-back-pm-anwar-ibrahim?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 10:01:06 +0000 Former Malaysian minister and the leader of the youth-facing Muda movement Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was sentenced to seven years in jail and two lashes of the whip after a Kuala Lumpur court on Thursday found him guilty of embezzling more than US$200,000 of funds for a political party. The 31-year-old rising star of Malaysian politics was accused of abetting a subordinate to withdraw 1 million ringgit (US$213,538) from the account of the Bersatu party, while he served as youth chief from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3240870/malaysian-ex-minister-syed-saddiq-gets-7-years-jail-whipping-embezzlement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3240870/malaysian-ex-minister-syed-saddiq-gets-7-years-jail-whipping-embezzlement?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Nov 2023 04:01:13 +0000 Malaysia’s government is facing calls to investigate why tens of millions of dollars were squandered on faulty ventilators and vaccines which were never used during the Covid-19 pandemic, after a parliamentary report catalogued “chaotic” state spending, including purchases made without contracts over WhatsApp. Some 8.5 million unused vaccine doses expired in June this year worth 505 million ringgit (US$100 million), the report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said, while a further US$4.2... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3239841/malaysia-faces-calls-probe-report-shows-faulty-ventilators-bought-over-whatsapp-during-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3239841/malaysia-faces-calls-probe-report-shows-faulty-ventilators-bought-over-whatsapp-during-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:30:19 +0000 Malaysia’s PAS will stab both Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin in the back before either leader can do the same to the Islamist party, according to Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi. In a Facebook post on Monday, Puas said: “[Mahathir] said Muhyiddin backstabbed him. After this both will stab PAS. But PAS will stab them first.” He was commenting on an old video of Mahathir talking about the pain of being “backstabbed” by Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin for the prime minister’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3229462/malaysias-pas-will-stab-mahathir-and-muhyiddin-back-says-umno-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3229462/malaysias-pas-will-stab-mahathir-and-muhyiddin-back-says-umno-official?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Jul 2023 06:06:08 +0000 The election chief of Malaysia’s opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition was charged with sedition on Tuesday for insulting the sultan of Selangor, one of the country’s nine constitutional monarchs, weeks ahead of state-level polls seen as a crucial test of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government. Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, 48, who is also the firebrand chief minister of Kedah state, was arrested before dawn before being brought to court in Selayang. He was charged under the country’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3228074/malaysia-charges-opposition-perikatan-nasional-election-chief-sedition-sultan-insult-weeks-state?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3228074/malaysia-charges-opposition-perikatan-nasional-election-chief-sedition-sultan-insult-weeks-state?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jul 2023 06:27:20 +0000 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government will face its first public vote of confidence in August, when six key states will head to the polls, the election commission said on Wednesday. While the regional polls will not directly impact Anwar’s two-thirds majority in parliament, any significant losses for his coalition could lead to questions about his leadership and destabilise his ruling bloc, which came to power after a closely fought and divisive national election in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3226631/malaysia-hold-state-polls-august-crucial-test-pm-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3226631/malaysia-hold-state-polls-august-crucial-test-pm-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jul 2023 09:00:12 +0000 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday rebutted claims by his predecessor that he ignored expert advice and surrendered the country’s maritime sovereignty in an agreement to end an 18-year-old border dispute with Indonesia. The dispute centred around the delimitation of the nations’ territorial seas in parts of the Strait of Malacca and the Sulawesi Sea. Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who helmed Malaysia for 18 months from 2020, accused Anwar of failing to heed warnings... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3223951/malaysian-pm-anwar-rebuts-claims-he-ignored-expert-advice-sea-border-deal-indonesia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3223951/malaysian-pm-anwar-rebuts-claims-he-ignored-expert-advice-sea-border-deal-indonesia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:30:21 +0000 Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has slammed incumbent leader Anwar Ibrahim’s readiness to negotiate with China on state-owned energy giant Petronas’ exploration in South China Sea, saying it undermines the country’s territorial sovereignty. “Petronas exploration activities are legally in Malaysian waters which should be defended and there is no question of negotiation and the prime minister’s statement indicates indirect recognition of China’s claim,” said Muhyiddin. Anwar in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3216292/south-china-sea-ex-pm-muhyiddin-hits-out-malaysias-anwar-over-energy-exploration-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3216292/south-china-sea-ex-pm-muhyiddin-hits-out-malaysias-anwar-over-energy-exploration-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Apr 2023 06:30:55 +0000 For many Muslims in Malaysia, the image of their prime minister emerging from the Kaaba would convince them that he is a legitimate leader. The Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is one of the most sacred sites for Islam and Muslims. However, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s failure to enter the Kaaba – much less meet the Saudi king and crown prince – during his visit to Saudi Arabia from March 22 to 24 may prompt concerns about the politicisation of Islam’s most sacred sites, including how the Saudi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3215525/malaysian-pm-anwars-snub-saudi-prince-failure-enter-kaaba-cause-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3215525/malaysian-pm-anwars-snub-saudi-prince-failure-enter-kaaba-cause-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Mar 2023 07:00:12 +0000 Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday threatened to sue incumbent Anwar Ibrahim for defamation over comments the 97-year-old said falsely implicated him and his family in amassing riches during his time in power. The legal threat reignites a decades-old feud between Anwar and the nonagenarian Mahathir, who has verbally attacked the new government on an almost daily basis as he tries to revive his political career despite his advanced age, after losing his seat in Langkawi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3215135/malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-threatens-sue-pm-anwar-ibrahim-libel-reigniting-political-feud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3215135/malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-threatens-sue-pm-anwar-ibrahim-libel-reigniting-political-feud?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Mar 2023 11:15:11 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he was the victim of a politically motivated legal attack after he was charged on March 10 with four separate counts of using his office or... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3213843/malaysias-muhyiddin-yassin-will-have-and-should-wait-his-day-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3213843/malaysias-muhyiddin-yassin-will-have-and-should-wait-his-day-court?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Mar 2023 03:30:11 +0000 Malaysia’s opposition was in uproar last week as authorities slapped former leader Muhyiddin Yassin with multiple corruption charges, bringing his political feud with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to a head as both sides prepare for a clutch of state elections expected later this year. The government’s critics say the move to indict Muhyiddin, accused of money laundering and abusing his power to solicit bribes, is part of a witch hunt by Anwar’s administration to try to reduce support among the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3213712/could-malaysias-latest-corruption-crackdown-backfire-anwars-administration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3213712/could-malaysias-latest-corruption-crackdown-backfire-anwars-administration?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Mar 2023 00:00:15 +0000 Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin pleaded innocent Monday to a seventh corruption charge, this one alleging he received illegal proceeds of 5 million ringgit (US$1.1 million) that was banked into his political party. Muhyiddin is Malaysia’s second leader to be indicted after leaving office and has denied wrongdoing. He slammed the case as “organised political persecution” to embarrass him and crush his Islamic-dominated opposition ahead of state elections. He denied abusing his... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3213317/malaysias-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-slapped-seventh-corruption-charge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3213317/malaysias-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-slapped-seventh-corruption-charge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Mar 2023 04:10:02 +0000 Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he was the victim of a politically motivated legal attack after he was charged Friday with soliciting bribes and laundering tens of millions of dollars, allegations which could see him jailed. Prosecutors on Friday said Muhyiddin allegedly received a total of 427.5 million ringgit (US$94.5 million) in bribes and illicit funds between 2020 and 2022, when his Bersatu party was a key component of the ruling political coalition. Muhyiddin faces... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3213016/malaysias-former-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-pleads-not-guilty-abuse-power-money-laundering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3213016/malaysias-former-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-pleads-not-guilty-abuse-power-money-laundering?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Mar 2023 01:53:54 +0000 Former Malaysian leader Muhyiddin Yassin will be charged in court for corruption and money-laundering offences following allegations of abuse in stimulus programmes during the Covid-19 pandemic when he was prime minister. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said in a statement that the former prime minister faces “several charges” for abuse of power to solicit bribes and complicity in money laundering. The agency said the attorney-general’s chambers approved its request for the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3212908/malaysian-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-be-charged-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3212908/malaysian-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-be-charged-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Mar 2023 05:13:27 +0000