Azeez under remand

Along with a brother and a cousin, the former Tabung Haji chairman has been remanded for four days over allegations of bribery and money laundering. Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim remains an Umno supreme council member, Baling MP and division chief – for now.

PUTRAJAYA: Former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim has been remanded for four days over alleged bribery and money laundering.

Magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim allowed the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission’s (MACC) application for the Umno supreme council member to be held until Saturday to assist in investigations.

The magistrate also allowed Abdul Azeez’s elder brother Abdul Latiff and their cousin, businessman Mohamad Nazri Osman, to be remanded for the same period.

The three were brought to the court complex here in two cars at 10.30am yesterday.

Handcuffed, they were clad in the orange MACC lockup outfit.

Abdul Azeez, who is also the Baling MP, and Abdul Latiff did not shield their faces as most others in similar situations do. Instead, they smiled at a group of supporters that was present at the courthouse.

Mohamad Nazri covered his face from the hordes of press photographers present.

The supporters, led by another Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam, chanted Hidup Azeez! Hidup Baling! and Allahuakbar! as the trio were whisked into court.

Abdul Azeez, 51, was arrested at 11.15am on Tuesday after he arrived at the MACC headquarters to give a statement. Abdul Latiff, 60, was detained in Sungai Buloh 15 minutes later.

Mohamad Nazri, 36, was held later that evening at the MACC headquarters after giving a statement.

The three were represented by four lawyers, led by S. Devanandan, who said his clients were being investigated over the awarding of contracts related to Tabung Haji.

He said the prosecution wanted to question the three to check their statements against that of witnesses.