On August 15, 2023, a Kuala Lumpur High Court acquitted former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin of four counts of abuse of power. The charges stemmed from allegations that Muhyiddin had used his position as prime minister to obtain bribes. The court ruled that the charges were “vague, flawed and unfounded” because they did not specify the details of the offenses allegedly committed.

Insight:

• The conversations on Muhyiddin Yassin’s Court Case garnered around 7.8K with 408.9K social interactions that potentially reached 4.2M users.
• The recent court ruling, which acquitted Perikatan Nasional leader, Muhyiddin Yassin, of four corruption charges, has ignited a lively debate on social media. The majority of PN and Muhyiddin Yassin’s supporters celebrated the verdict, asserting that the allegations against their leader were unfounded and merely a government ploy to undermine him.
• However, a segment of online users countered the opposition supporters, arguing that the acquittal was due to insufficient evidence, not the absence of a prima facie case. They maintained that Muhyiddin Yassin was still culpable and should be held accountable. Netizens also cautioned others that despite this acquittal, Muhyiddin Yassin still faces a slew of charges, including money laundering and abuse of power.
• While some pointed out that this verdict demonstrated a lack of government interference in the case, others speculated that the government had intentionally cleared Muhyiddin Yassin of the charges to pave the way for the potential acquittal of Zahid Hamidi in his ongoing case.