KUALA LUMPUR – Police have concluded their probe into Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Simpang Jeram state by-election campaign speech that allegedly touched on 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said police had also recorded testimony from five individuals who witnessed the PN Mega Ceramah campaign event in Simpang Jeram on September 3.
“Also present at the event was (PAS president) Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, (Gerakan president Datuk) Dominic Lau and (PN’s Simpang Jeram candidate) Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya.
“(Muhyiddin) answered all questions posed by the police. We will work on completing our investigation paper before submitting it to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC),” Shuhaily told a press conference at the Bukit Aman police headquarters here today.
Police previously said the case was being investigated under Section 4A of the Election Offences Act for promoting feelings of ill-will or hostility as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which covers the improper use of network facilities.
Earlier today, police recorded Muhyiddin’s statement at the Malaysian Investment Development Authority building here over his assertion that Malays are losing power.
During the campaign speech in Johor, Muhyiddin had allegedly claimed that “Malays will no longer dominate the government today, which means (that) Malays have lost power, whether they realise it or not, true or not”.
Muhyiddin, who is also a former prime minister, had his speech video uploaded on PN component PAS’ Facebook page.
Previously, on September 12, Muhyiddin was questioned by police over a “political fatwa” he issued claiming that it is “haram” to vote for Pakatan Harapan candidate Suhaizan Kayat in the Pulai parliamentary by-election earlier this month.
Voting for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seat were held concurrently on September 9 after the death of its then-incumbent, domestic trade and cost of living minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, on July 23.
At the polls, Suhaizan won with an 18,641-vote majority, defeating Zulkifli Jaafar of PN and independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi. – September 21, 2023