Muhyiddin's letters were directives, ex-minister tells court

Former Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz testified in the High Court that he viewed all minutes and letters from then-Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as directives that required serious consideration. Zafrul explained that his ministry had to act on these communications because they originated from the Prime Minister, emphasizing that such actions were necessary for the government to function.

“

I acted on all the minutes and letters from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. In my experience as a Minister, minutes from the Prime Minister are minutes that we need to act on, otherwise the government cannot function.

However, Zafrul clarified that acting on a directive did not equate to blindly approving a request. He stated that while the Prime Minister's minutes were directives, they were not automatic approvals. The process involved further consideration, and recommendations could be accepted or rejected based on the relevant authority. "In this context, the Prime Minister is the superior, he is the Prime Minister. So, of course, his minutes are directives. In this case, his minutes were to direct me and the Finance Ministry to consider, but not to approve," he told the court during re-examination.

“

However, acting does not mean we have to do something that is not right.

Zafrul, who is the 11th prosecution witness, is testifying in the trial of Muhyiddin, who faces seven charges related to alleged abuse of position and money laundering amounting to RM425.3 million in connection with the Jana Wibawa program. He previously informed the court that Muhyiddin had issued a letter proposing 54 contractors for 54 projects under the program, which were to be awarded through direct negotiation.

“

In this context, the Prime Minister is the superior, he is the Prime Minister. So, of course, his minutes are directives. In this case, his minutes were to direct me and the Finance Ministry to consider, but not to approve.

He further elaborated that direct negotiation involves awarding a contract to a single company, while the pre-qualification tender method involves selecting companies that meet specific criteria and procedures. Zafrul maintained that his ministry gave serious consideration to Muhyiddin's directives, initiating the evaluation process for the proposed companies to determine their eligibility for direct negotiation or pre-qualification projects.

“

In this case, we have given serious consideration and acted on it.