Ex-spy chief claims trial
Hasanah charged with CBT involving US$12mil of govt funds
KUALA LUMPUR: Former spy chief Datuk Hasanah Ab Hamid pleaded not guilty in a Sessions Court here to committing criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving US$12.1mil (RM50.3mil) of government funds.
The former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (Meio) director-general claimed trial before Judge Azman Ahmad yesterday.
The 61-year-old was accused of committing CBT at the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya between April 30 and May 9 this year.
Lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram requested RM1mil bail.
Hasanah’s counsel Datuk Shaharudin Ali asked for the bail to be reduced to RM300,000.
He said the US$12.1mil had nothing to do with 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) or any companies related to it.
“The seriousness of the offence has to be taken into consideration. My client is a 61-year-old woman and she is physically weak. She cannot move like many other people.
“After she was released from her remand on Sept 3, she could have fled the country but she remained in Selangor.
“My client was the former director-general of the Research Division in the Prime Minister’s Department and it is generally known that it was an intelligence department, similar to army intelligence and the Special Branch,” he said.
Shaharudin added that Hasanah’s duties were to identify enemies of Malaysia who attempted to spy on and destroy the country.
He also said Hasanah received a pension of RM10,000 a month, but her bank account and pension had been frozen by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“To set such a high amount of bail is equivalent to sending the accused to jail. Never allow an accused to face that.
“My client has been trained to keep national security secrets and she is not a coward. She doesn’t have to run away.
“A country’s intelligence officer is brave enough to face all this,” said Shaharudin, adding that it was Hasanah’s first time being charged in court and that she would post bail immediately.
Shaharudin also informed the court that he wanted to apply for the case to be transferred to the High Court in the near future, to which Sri Ram had no objections.
Deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar said RM1mil bail was reasonable as the charge involved US$12.1mil.
“It is because of the position that she has held that we offered this amount. RM300,000 is inadequate,” Kamal said.
Shaharudin replied that it would take his client between seven and eight years to save RM1mil.
Judge Azman set bail at RM500,000 in two sureties pending mention on Nov 29.