SUPP vindicated by High Court dismissal of MACC forfeiture

KUCHING: The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has welcomed the High Court’s decision to dismiss the forfeiture action taken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

A press statement yesterday said SUPP had cooperated from the very start of the investigation and with the court.

“We feel vindicated that the High Court agrees with our case and dismissed the claim by MACC,” said the press statement yesterday.

On Wednesday, MACC failed in its bid to forfeit RM188,138.26, allegedly linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, from SUPP. This followed a decision made by High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh.

In dismissing the MACC’s application, Ahmad Shahrir said the court found that MACC had not adduced sufficient evidence to support its application to warrant an order for forfeiture to be granted.

The judicial commissioner also said that on the balance of probabilities, the applicant (MACC) had not succeeded in proving the requirements under Section 56 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act to have the sum of RM188,138.26 in SUPP’s accounts forfeited.

Meanwhile, MACC deputy public prosecutor Abdul Rashid Sulaiman said the prosecution would file a notice of appeal against the decision with the Court of Appeal.

SUPP was represented by counsel Michael Chow. In June 2019, former MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the MACC had filed a civil forfeiture suit against 41 respondents to forfeit about RM270 million allegedly linked to the 1MDB fund scandal and received by the respondents, one of which was SUPP, from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

We feel vindicated that the High Court agrees with our case and dismissed the claim by MACC. Sarawak United People’s Party