From GE15 to 1BestariNet: Muhyiddin’s series of ‘unfortunate events’

September 8, 2024

From GE15 to 1BestariNet: Muhyiddin’s series of ‘unfortunate events’

PETALING JAYA: Wednesday’s raid on the YTL Communications office by the anti-graft agency is the latest in the series of events linked to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

In 2011, YTL Communications was awarded the 1BestariNet project, which was initiated by Muhyiddin when he was education minister in Najib Razak’s government.

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The raid by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission does not in any way incriminate Muhyiddin; however, it looks “very bad” as the project is synonymous with him, says political analyst Azmi Hassan.

Muhyiddin’s troubles began after the 2022 general election when he snubbed a request by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to form a unity government with Pakatan Harapan. Instead, Anwar Ibrahim became prime minister in November 2022.

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1Bestarinet – Tambah kecilakaan kepada Muhyiddin

Five months later, Muhyiddin was charged with abuse of power and money laundering in relation to the Jana Wibawa programme, an initiative to help Bumiputera contractors which was started as a Covid-19 stimulus package when Muhyiddin was prime minister

Muhyiddin claimed trial and cried political persecution as he became the second former prime minister to face graft charges, after his former boss Najib Razak.

Despite his personal problems, the Perikatan Nasional coalition that he led performed well in the six state elections held in August 2023, making a sweep in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu to regain power, and making inroads in Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan – states run by Pakatan Harapan.

Bersatu’s problems

However, Muhyiddin’s leadership of his party, Bersatu, started coming into question after seven elected representatives from the party declared support for Anwar’s unity government, while PAS members held firm.

In the midst of this, he made an emotional declaration at the party’s annual convention in November 2023 that he would step down as Bersatu president.

But he backtracked a day later, saying his wife advised him to stay on for another term so as not to disappoint Bersatu members, as he was still “needed”.

He later drew up a formula for the upcoming party elections aimed at rejuvenating the Bersatu leadership, in which secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin would become his No. 2 and former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali as secretary-general.

PAS goes cool

Muhyiddin then appeared to lose the confidence of PAS, the key PN partner. This was particularly observable in PAS’s lacklustre participation in campaigning for Bersatu’s candidate at the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election in May.

This became even more apparent when PAS went all out at the Sungai Bakap by-election the following month, which the Islamic party contested and won with a convincing 4,267-vote majority.

And as PAS and Gerakan bickered over the role breweries play in raising funds for Chinese schools, it was Hamzah who resolved the tiff, with Muhyiddin in the UK for his granddaughter’s graduation.

Biggest blow

But what may have dealt the biggest blow to Muhyiddin is a speech he gave during the Nenggiri by-election in August, which led to him being charged with sedition.

In the speech, Muhyiddin questioned why he was not invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, then Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, to become the prime minister after the 2022 general election despite having the backing of 115 MPs.

While he insisted his remarks were factual, it came with a cost. Apart from being hauled to court, he also faced a rebuke from the Pahang palace and 50 police reports.

An analyst, Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid of Universiti Sains Malaysia, also said Muhyiddin’s remarks were among the reasons for PN’s defeat in Nenggiri.

Absent allies

In the midst of all this, PAS appeared to distance itself from Muhyiddin when deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man backed a call by Pahang’s crown prince for Muhyiddin to be investigated, while affirming PAS’s loyalty to Sultan Abdullah.

On the day Muhyiddin was charged with sedition, top PAS leaders were notably missing, with only party secretary-general and PN chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan in attendance to show support for the coalition chairman.

And while PAS leaders attempted to play down this absence, noting that the likes of Perak PAS chief Razman Zakaria had attended proceedings, they did not account for the absence of more senior leaders like party president Abdul Hadi Awang, his deputy, or any of its three vice-presidents.

1BestariNet effect

However the latest issue, MACC’s investigation into 1BestariNet, may not be a “death sentence” on Muhyiddin’s political career, according to analyst Azmi.

He said the 1BestariNet controversy has been going on for some time and the only link Muhyiddin has to this issue is that the initiative was his pet project.

“It won’t put him in an awkward position compared to his speech in Nenggiri,” he told FMT, as Muhyiddin’s remarks about the former king had upstaged the controversy surrounding 1BestariNet.