Malaysian Court Dismisses Muhyiddin Yassin Appeal

A Malaysian court has rejected former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's application to review graft charges against him, reinforcing his legal troubles as he faces four charges of abuse of power. The unanimous decision by the Appeals Court, led by Judge Azizah Nawawi, indicates that the earlier High Court ruling was within jurisdiction to dismiss his acquittal from 2023. This setback comes amid significant challenges for Muhyiddin's opposition bloc, including a recent by-election loss and defections to the ruling party under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who has gained political momentum to implement financial reforms. Investors have reacted positively to Malaysia's political stability, with increased international interest in its equities and a recovery of the ringgit. Muhyiddin's corruption charges stem from allegations involving 232.5 million ringgits linked to his party during his tenure from 2020 to 2021, making him the second former premier indicted after Najib Razak. Additionally, he faces a separate sedition charge related to remarks about the former king.