Prosecutors still mulling whether to drop charges against late Daim
Hidir Reduan Abdul Rashid
Published: Nov 14, 2024 2:10 PM
The prosecution is still mulling whether to drop the asset-disclosure case against former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, who passed away yesterday.
A deputy public prosecutor today said that this is in line with MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki’s statement yesterday.
“As stated by the MACC chief commissioner yesterday, we will discuss with the deputy public prosecutor first,” he said when contacted.
Following Daim’s passing at the age of 86 yesterday morning, Azam reportedly said the commission would be discussing with prosecutors to decide on the next course of action on the deceased’s pending case.
“Only the DPP can decide how to proceed, we are only in charge of investigating,” he told the New Straits Times.
“I think it will take at least one or two weeks, we will provide an update once a decision has been made,” Azam said.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki
Daim passed away at Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya.
His lawyer Gurdial Singh Nijar said he had a stroke recently and was in the intensive care unit.
Daim left behind his wife Na’imah Abdul Khalid, 66, and five children.
Long, storied career
The business tycoon was first appointed as the finance minister in 1984 by the then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and served until 1991.
He was appointed to the office again for a second tenure in 1999, also by Mahathir, before he resigned in 2001.
Daim was previously an Umno member and was an MP for five consecutive terms from 1982 until 1999 (Kuala Muda for one term, and Merbok for four).
Known as a close ally to Mahathir, he was sacked from the party after Daim and several others appeared at a Pakatan Harapan mega ceramah in Malacca in 2018.
MACC probe
The retired politician recently came under the spotlight again after MACC launched investigations against him for suspected graft and money laundering.
He was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with failing to abide by MACC’s notice to disclose his assets encompassing 38 firms, 25 pieces of land and property, seven luxury vehicles, and two investment fund accounts.
On top of this, the anti-graft agency reportedly seized Ilham Tower, a high commercial-value building located in Kuala Lumpur, owned by Daim's family.
Na’imah had also been charged separately with a similar offence.
She also has a pending civil court action against the Inland Revenue Board’s bid to compel her to pay over RM313 million in alleged tax arrears.
Daim passed away at Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya.
His lawyer Gurdial Singh Nijar said he had a stroke recently and was in the intensive care unit.
Daim left behind his wife Na’imah Abdul Khalid, 66, and five children.
Long, storied career
The business tycoon was first appointed as the finance minister in 1984 by the then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and served until 1991.
He was appointed to the office again for a second tenure in 1999, also by Mahathir, before he resigned in 2001.
Daim was previously an Umno member and was an MP for five consecutive terms from 1982 until 1999 (Kuala Muda for one term, and Merbok for four).
Known as a close ally to Mahathir, he was sacked from the party after Daim and several others appeared at a Pakatan Harapan mega ceramah in Malacca in 2018.
MACC probe
The retired politician recently came under the spotlight again after MACC launched investigations against him for suspected graft and money laundering.
He was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with failing to abide by MACC’s notice to disclose his assets encompassing 38 firms, 25 pieces of land and property, seven luxury vehicles, and two investment fund accounts.
On top of this, the anti-graft agency reportedly seized Ilham Tower, a high commercial-value building located in Kuala Lumpur, owned by Daim's family.
Na’imah had also been charged separately with a similar offence.
She also has a pending civil court action against the Inland Revenue Board’s bid to compel her to pay over RM313 million in alleged tax arrears.
The investigation of others' involvement and possible criminality must continue.
ReplyDeleteDaim was not a single player in the crimes and abuses of power. Others enabled and cooperated in the criminal endeavour.