Former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin was charged today (Jan 29) with not declaring his assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in the Sessions Court, in Kuala Lunpur.
He pleaded not guilty before judge Azura Alwi to one charge under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009, concerning an offence pertaining to disclosure of assets. He is charged with not declaring one Amanah Saham bank account, seven vehicles including a Rolls-Royce, an Austin Morris Austin and a Jaguar XJS HE, 38 companies, and 25 properties, some of which are linked to the companies he owns.
Among the companies mentioned are Ibu Kota Developments Sdn Bhd, Maya Seni Holdings Sdn Bhd, Menara Ampang Sdn Bhd, Dream Cruiser Sdn Bhd, Landbelt Corporation Sdn Bhd, Avillion Bhd, Avillion Hotel Group, Admiral Cove Development Sdn Bhd and Avillion Hotels International Sdn Bhd, to name a few.
Some of the 25 properties are located in Ritchie Condo, Persiaran Ritchie and Desa Kuda Lari in Kuala Lumpur, Avillion Port Dickson, Avillion Admiral Cove and Admiral Marina and Leisure Club in Negeri Sembilan, to name a few.
Daim, who was seated on a wheelchair, could not stand up to have the charge read to him. He was also allowed to not enter the accused dock in court, and instead just sit in his wheelchair, next to the accused dock.
When the charge was read out to him, Daim in a frail voice said “faham” (understood). The registrar listed out all the assets to him, which took a few minutes. When asked by the registrar whether he understands the charge, Daim said in a frail voice “minta bicara”, (claim trial) which means that he wants to go for trial after pleaded not guilty.
Daim Zainuddin has been charged for failing to comply with a notice to declare assets under the country’s anti-corruption laws, amid a crackdown on graft involving prominent political and business figures.
Daim, 85, a key ally of former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad, if convicted, is faced a maximum jail term of five years and can be fined up to RM100,000 ringgit.
Daim, who served as finance minister from 1984 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2001, entered court on Monday in a wheelchair and his lawyer cited health issues when asking for bail.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who campaigned on a reformist platform, has vowed to tackle high-level corruption but has faced accusations of using the country’s anti-graft agency to target political rivals. Anwar has said he does not interfere in the agency’s investigations, Reuters cited.
Daim was charged following an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into the former minister based on information contained in the Pandora Papers – a massive leak of financial records in 2021 that revealed offshore assets held by politicians and public figures worldwide.
The MACC last month seized Ilham Tower, a 60-storey building in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, as part of its probe into Daim.
Daim’s wife, Na’imah Abdul Khalid, was also charged in court last week for failing to disclose assets to the anti-corruption commission. She pleaded not guilty. Daim has described the probe against him as a “political witch-hunt” led by the anti-graft agency and Anwar, who succeeded him as finance minister in 1991.
The MACC said last month it had acted independently according to the law when opening investigations against Daim in February 2023. Anwar and Mahathir have been locked in a decades-long off-on rivalry that saw Anwar, a one-time protege of the elder statesman, jailed for sodomy and corruption, charges he said were politically motivated.
