KUALA LUMPUR (March 8): Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia on Wednesday (March 8) filed a judicial review against the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and 18 of the commission’s officers including chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, as well as the Immigration Department and the Malaysian government.

In the application filed by Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and another office bearer at the High Court, the former prime minister sought a declaration from the court against the MACC, that the commission should not follow the directives of the leaders of the ruling party who are in the government, or follow the directives of the prime minister and/or deputy prime minister by enlisting the MACC officers to initiate investigation against Bersatu, causing the issuance of  an alleged wrongful freezing order.

The Bersatu president is also seeking an interim order that allows him to move freely and make all trips abroad without restrictions. He stated in the court document sighted by The Edge that he is scheduled for a trip to London on April 14 and 15 as a keynote speaker at the 1st Annual Conference of the Global Council for Political Renewal (GCPR).

The MACC had recently imposed a travel ban on Muhyiddin "illegally and without any reasonable grounds" and without being served with any formal notice, according to the court document.

In the application, Bersatu claimed that there is an effort to accuse or link Muhyiddin or Bersatu with corruption and abuse of power. The party also claimed that the MACC has detained and charged its members and third parties to threaten them, and influence them to associate Muhyiddin or Bersatu with fabricated offences.

Bersatu is also seeking an order of certiorari to quash the freezing orders issued to the party under Section 44(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 to its bank accounts and to revoke it, according to the court document.

Muhyiddin is also seeking another certiorari order to quash the immigration’s travel ban on him.

The Bersatu leader also wants the MACC to unfreeze a sum of RM4.354 million for the expenses, operations and management of the party, and a court order for a mandamus for the MACC officers to abide by the purpose and spirit of the law in investigative procedures and processes of MACC in a fair and just manner.

Further, he is seeking a declaration that as a validly registered political party, Bersatu has rights that are protected under the Federal Constitution, and that its fundamental rights should not be infringed wrongfully for collateral purposes.