Malaysia’s Muhyiddin Yassin suffers fresh legal blow in corruption case

Appeal Court Judge Azizah Nawawi said on Wednesday the five-member panel would not pursue Muhyiddin’s case as the earlier bench had the jurisdiction to review the High Court decision, she said. Wednesday’s decision was unanimous, she added.

Muhyiddin was seeking to have four abuse of power charges dropped amid mounting legal troubles. The 77-year-old had applied for a judicial review of a separate appeal court decision to overturn his acquittal by a High Court from the charges last year, which effectively reinstated his criminal case.

“I am disappointed by the decision,” Muhyiddin told reporters outside the courthouse in administrative capital of Putrajaya. His lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said they would study the judgment and see what other legal avenues were available.

The ruling is another disappointment for the opposition. Muhyiddin and the Perikatan Nasional bloc he leads have been beset with troubles this year – ranging from failing to retain a seat in an August by-election to seeing some of its lawmakers switch allegiance to Anwar.