ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – A Malaysian court dismissed former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s application to review graft charges filed against him, a fresh blow for the opposition leader who is seen as one of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s biggest rivals. Appeals Court Judge Azizah Nawawi said yesterday the five-member panel would not pursue Muhyiddin’s case as the earlier bench has the jurisdiction to review the High Court decision. The decision was unanimous, she added. Muhyiddin was seeking to have four abuse of power charges dropped amid mounting legal troubles. The 77-year-old applied for a judicial review of a separate Appeals Court decision to overturn his acquittal by a High Court from the charges in 2023, 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 yet another setback for the opposition. Muhyiddin and the Perikatan Nasional bloc he leads have been beset with troubles in 2024 – ranging from failing to retain a seat in an August by-election to seeing some of its lawmakers switch allegiance to Anwar. The disarray has given Anwar breathing space to carry out reforms to strengthen Malaysia’s finances, such as unwinding diesel subsidies to save MYR4 billion annually. Investors have welcomed Malaysia’s political stability this year. International funds turned net buyers of Malaysian equities, while Kuala Lumpur became the busiest location for listings in Southeast Asia. The ringgit has recovered from a 26-year low against the United States dollar reached in February, emerging as the top gainer across developing markets in 2024. Muhyiddin was charged with abuse of power and three counts of money laundering in March 2023, making him the second ex-Malaysian premier to be indicted after Najib Razak.
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