Bersatu warns of PH-BN ploy to use govt agencies, divert attention from nepotism controversy

Bersatu says it will cooperate fully in an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), but warns that the probe is part of an offensive against the party by both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN), claiming that the ruling coalitions are using government agencies to kill off their political enemies. 

Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin, who is also the opposition leader, said the probe was a strategy to divert attention from the government's failures as well as from accusations of nepotism, believed to be a reference to the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's move to appoint his daughter as a senior financial adviser.

"Bersatu has always been firm with the principles of integrity and good governance," Hamzah said in a statement, in response to MACC's confirmation that the party's bank accounts had been frozen pending a money laundering probe.

Hamzah also urged Bersatu members to remain patient, saying the party was facing "slander".

MACC chief Azam Baki has meanwhile denied that the investigations were linked to allegations that the party had benefitted from the misuse of Covid-19 stimulus funds.

Allegations that Bersatu had used some RM600 billion funds from Covid-19 stimulus packages were raised during the peak of the general election campaign last year. 

The claim was repeated by Anwar, who later said there had been "tens of billions" allocated by the previous government that violated procedures.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who led the country throughout most part of the Covid-19 crisis, has strongly denied the allegations, and welcomed any investigations against the party.