Rosli Dahlan, a partner at the firm of Rosli Dahlan Saravana, is lead counsel for Muhyiddin in the defamation suit.
“MACC raided my lawyer’s office today. Why did they do that? This is abuse of power by the authorities,” said Muhyiddin at a ceramah near Bentong on the eve of the Pelangai by-election in Pahang.
“It’s enough, Anwar (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim). Stop this oppression … Focus on saving the economy and helping the people,” he said.
More than 10 MACC officers were reported to have taken part in the raid which took place this morning in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, according to a source. “MACC officials wanted to search and seize documents belonging to the firm,” the source said.
Another source said the MACC action was not a raid but a follow-up visit as part of an ongoing investigation, while Malaysiakini reported that MACC also attempted to raid the firm of Chetan Jethwani & Co, which also acts for Muhyiddin.
Rosli is lead counsel in a defamation suit brought by Muhyiddin against Anwar Ibrahim over Anwar’s remarks about the handling of Felda’s waiver of debts owed by land settlers.
He was formerly also lead counsel for 1Malaysia Development Berhad, the troubled government investment company at the centre of a huge financial scandal which resulted in former prime minister Najib Razak being jailed on charges of embezzlement, corruption and abuse of power.
Rosli is also involved in a defamation suit he filed against former Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam and two others over allegations that Rosli and his firm obtained huge commissions from a settlement of the government’s case against Goldman Sachs and AmBank relating to 1MDB.
He also represents Bersatu, of which Muhyiddin is president, in a case in which the party has been alleged to have received funds from 1MDB. As a result of the investigation, the party’s bank accounts were frozen and later seized by MACC.
MACC said the action was taken under the anti-money laundering act.
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