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Probe into Daim’s ‘undeclared assets’ widens to 4 more countries
An MACC source says the assets suspected as belonging to the family and proxies of the late Daim Zainuddin are believed to be located in the US, Singapore, Japan and Italy
An MACC senior director, Zamri Zainul Abidin, confirmed the probe, but declined to comment further.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has expanded its probe into allegedly undeclared assets linked to the late Daim Zainuddin to four more countries.
An MACC source said the assets suspected as belonging to Daim’s family and proxies were located in the US, Singapore, Japan, Italy, and the island of Jersey, a British crown dependency located off the coast of Normandy, France.
The source said the anti-graft agency intends to apply for restraining orders in these countries to prevent the disposal or movement of the assets during investigations, Berita Harian reported.
“MACC has identified assets in several countries that were not declared during investigations conducted over the past few years. The next step is to secure restraining orders as part of further legal action,” the source was quoted as saying.
MACC’s senior director of the special operations division, Zamri Zainul Abidin, confirmed the matter but declined to comment further.
Last month, MACC took action on several high-value assets in the UK and Malaysia associated with Daim and his family after receiving “new information” from overseas.
On June 3, MACC froze seven properties and a bank account in London believed to be worth £132 million (RM758.2 million), reportedly linked to Daim’s widow, Naimah Khalid, and her family.
The commission said its investigation found that the movable and immovable assets were relevant to an offence under the anti-money laundering act.
However, on Monday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court stayed an earlier ex parte order to freeze the assets following an application by the former finance minister’s widow.
Two days later, MACC chief Azam Baki said UK authorities had agreed to enforce a restraining order on assets and properties there that were allegedly linked to Daim’s family and associates.
MACC has also filed an application in the High Court to forfeit Menara Ilham, a 60-storey tower in Kuala Lumpur linked to Daim.
An MACC source said the assets suspected as belonging to Daim’s family and proxies were located in the US, Singapore, Japan, Italy, and the island of Jersey, a British crown dependency located off the coast of Normandy, France.
The source said the anti-graft agency intends to apply for restraining orders in these countries to prevent the disposal or movement of the assets during investigations, Berita Harian reported.
“MACC has identified assets in several countries that were not declared during investigations conducted over the past few years. The next step is to secure restraining orders as part of further legal action,” the source was quoted as saying.
MACC’s senior director of the special operations division, Zamri Zainul Abidin, confirmed the matter but declined to comment further.
Last month, MACC took action on several high-value assets in the UK and Malaysia associated with Daim and his family after receiving “new information” from overseas.
On June 3, MACC froze seven properties and a bank account in London believed to be worth £132 million (RM758.2 million), reportedly linked to Daim’s widow, Naimah Khalid, and her family.
The commission said its investigation found that the movable and immovable assets were relevant to an offence under the anti-money laundering act.
However, on Monday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court stayed an earlier ex parte order to freeze the assets following an application by the former finance minister’s widow.
Two days later, MACC chief Azam Baki said UK authorities had agreed to enforce a restraining order on assets and properties there that were allegedly linked to Daim’s family and associates.
MACC has also filed an application in the High Court to forfeit Menara Ilham, a 60-storey tower in Kuala Lumpur linked to Daim.
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