Bid for stay of court ruling against Umno and MCA on June 19

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has set June 19 to hear the government’s application for a stay of the court’s ruling in dismissing its application to forfeit over RM194mil seized from Umno, Wanita MCA and two companies.

Deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat said the date was fixed during case management before High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas.

Initially, the hearing was fixed for March 31 before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan but the date was vacated in view of the enforcement of the movement control order.

“The prosecution had also filed an appeal against the High Court’s dismissal of its forfeiture application at the Court of Appeal in February,” DPP Mahadi told reporters yesterday.

The money seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission was allegedly linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

On Feb 7, Justice Mohamed Zaini dismissed the government’s application to forfeit the sum seized from Umno, Wanita MCA and the two companies – Binsabi Sdn Bhd and Perano Sdn Bhd.

The judge made the judgment on the grounds that the monies could not be convincingly proven to have been received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and that there was no evidence to prove that the monies came from unlawful activities.

The forfeiture applications against Umno involved RM192,965,413.61 and RM300,000 against Wanita MCA, while Perano which sells hijab, and Binsabi which supplies tents, involved RM337,634.78 and RM827,250 respectively.

The prosecution filed the forfeiture application against the four respondents in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering, AntiTerrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.