Muhyiddin’s corruption trial opens with a fight over TikTok in Malaysia

Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial opened in Kuala Lumpur on Monday with a courtroom fight over the admissibility of TikTok videos, which prosecutors hope will link millions of ringgit in illicit funds to his Bersatu party.Among the most keenly observed cases involving Malaysia’s political elite in years, the proceedings come three years after Muhyiddin was first charged in connection with projects under his administration’s Covid-19 recovery efforts.Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) assistant enforcement officer Mohd Syawaludin Said was the prosecution’s opening witness.He told the High Court that he had downloaded two TikTok videos, allegedly featuring Muhyiddin’s voice discussing the case, after stumbling upon them while scrolling on his phone on January 16, 2025, and July 26, 2025.A screengrab from a TikTok video uploaded by user “puterishantek”, in which purported audio of Muhyiddin was overlaid on a graphic alleging PAS was distancing itself from Perikatan Nasional. Photo: TikTok/PuterishantekIn a clip played to the court, a voice said to be Muhyiddin’s declared: “Not a single cent went into my pocket. It went to the party.”