Prime minister has no power to award projects, court told in Muhyiddin graft trial
The High Court heard that Malaysia’s prime minister has no legal authority to decide whether a government project is awarded through pre-qualification or direct negotiations, according to procurement rules.
Source: The Star Malaysia · August 19, 2026 at 9:02 AM · AI-assisted report
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PUTRAJAYA, 19 AUGUST 2026 —
The High Court heard that Malaysia’s prime minister has no legal authority to decide whether a government project is awarded through pre-qualification or direct negotiations, according to procurement rules.
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Datuk Zamzuri Abdul Aziz, deputy secretary-general of the Treasury (policy), told the court on Wednesday that authority for such decisions rests with the Finance Ministry, not the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Legally, the Prime Minister has no power under existing government procurement regulations to order any project to be awarded via direct negotiations,” Zamzuri said during cross-examination in the graft trial of former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He said the authority to determine procurement methods lies within the Finance Ministry’s jurisdiction, not the Prime Minister.
Zamzuri, a former undersecretary in the government procurement division, is the 26th prosecution witness in the RM2.5 billion Jana Wibawa programme trial. The case centres on a RM3.49 million road contract awarded to KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.
The company is accused of contributing RM800,000 to Bersatu in exchange for the award.
Zamzuri told deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin that KCJ Engineering initially failed its preliminary assessment by the Jana Wibawa contractor assessment committee.
“If a company fails the assessment, it would not be approved or considered,” he said.
He added that the Prime Minister’s Office submitted additional information via a letter dated Nov 13, 2020, prompting the committee to reassess the company. The letter was addressed to then-finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
“The letter contained a minute instructing me to take action, which was to assess KCJ Engineering,” Zamzuri said. “If the PMO had not mentioned KCJ Engineering in that letter, the committee would not have assessed the company.”
He said the Public Works Department would not have awarded the contract without Finance Ministry approval.
Muhyiddin, 79, faces four counts of abuse of power related to RM225.3 million allegedly received from four companies and an individual—Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd, and Datuk Azman Yusoff—between March 2020 and August 2021. He also faces three counts of money laundering, involving RM200 million deposited into Bersatu’s accounts between February 2021 and July 2022.
The trial continues before Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin on Thursday.
Related: Putrajaya