KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is reviewing allegations that three former Umno MPs, comprising a minister and two deputy ministers, were involved in misappropriation of funds, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic) briefly confirmed this in a parliamentary written reply dated Aug 2.
"This issue is currently being reviewed by the MACC for investigation and cannot reveal any details," said Wan Junaidi, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Law and Parliament.
He was responding to Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor), who asked whether investigation papers have been opened against Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Parliament) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, and Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali.
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They were mentioned during Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) trial on June 28.
Ahmad Zahid told the High Court that three MPs defected from Umno to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to "save themselves" from being investigated for corruption.
Ahmad Zahid had alleged Mas Ermieyati was entrusted with handling election funds, but claimed that the money wasn't used for Puteri Umno during the general election.
"Instead, the money was taken out of the funds and deposited into a different account for personal use, not for the Puteri Umno machinery," Ahmad Zahid said.
The Bagan Datuk MP also claimed that Mustapa, who was entrusted with the party machinery, had misused RM30mil that was meant for logistics to bring Kelantanese voters who were working or living in the Klang Valley to return to Kelantan to cast their votes.
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Ahmad Zahid also claimed that Noor Azmi's younger brother, a special officer, managed the party's constituency development funds and had abused the funds.
Ahmad Zahid claimed that Noor Azmi was about to be charged due to his sibling's act and that he had proof for it.
Both Mas Ermieyati and Mustapa had denied the allegations made by Ahmad Zahid.
Mas Ermieyati defected from Umno to Bersatu in December 2018 and she was later appointed as deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative minister in former premier Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's Cabinet in 2020.
She was later made Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Parliament) under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's Cabinet in 2021.
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Noor Azmi resigned from Umno in June 2018 and joined Bersatu in November 2018. The Bagan Serai MP was later appointed as deputy health minister by Muhyiddin in March 2020 and retained the post under Ismail Sabri's Cabinet.
Mustapa resigned from Umno in September 2018 and joined Bersatu in October that year. He was appointed as minister in March 2020.
Ahmad Zahid is currently facing 47 charges – 12 for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB.
