Daim to be charged at KL Sessions Court tomorrow
Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin is expected to be charged in the Sessions Court here tomorrow (Jan 29) for allegedly failing to comply with a notice to declare his assets.
In a statement issued yesterday, Daim said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had recorded his statement on Friday.
“My lawyer has been informed that I will be charged this Monday for an offence under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009 which is an offence related to the disclosure of assets.
“So be it. I look forward to my day in court,” he said in the statement.
Meanwhile, Daim’s lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan when contacted confirmed the matter.
Previously, the MACC confirmed that it had obtained permission to charge Daim in court, but it had to be deferred due to his ill health.
According to MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, they obtained permission from the Attorney-General Chambers last week, but it had to be deferred as Daim had been admitted to a private hospital.
He said the former finance minister was admitted before MACC obtained the green light to press charges. However, there were no explanation as to the reason for Daim being warded at the hospital.
Daim was finance minister from 1984 to 1991.
Meanwhile, Daim’s wife Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid was charged in the Sessions Court here on Jan 23 for failing to comply with a notice to declare her assets, which include Menara Ilham and several properties in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
Prior to that, Nai’mah and her two sons were summoned to the MACC headquarters to record their statements in connection with the commission’s investigation against Daim.
According to MACC, the investigation into Daim was initiated based on information obtained from the Pandora Papers, which disclosed details related to confidential documents of wealthy and influential individuals worldwide hiding their wealth through offshore services or companies outside of their countries.
The investigation papers on the case were opened in February last year.