Mohd Isa remanded for 5 days
PUTRAJAYA: Former Felda Global Ventures Bhd (FGV) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad was remanded for five days until Sunday to help the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) in its investigations into the purchase of a hotel in Kensington, London in 2014/2015.
The registrar of the Subordinate Courts of Malaya, Datuk Zainal Abidin Kamarudin, issued the order to have Mohd Isa remanded following an application from MACC.
Mohd Isa, 68, who was in MACC lock-up attire, was brought to the Putrajaya magistrate’s court at 9.10am. He was accompanied by several officers in an MACC vehicle.
Mohd Isa was represented by six lawyers led by Datuk K. Kumaraendran. The other lawyers in the team were Dev Kumaraendran, Ridha Ahdar Subry, Datuk Khairul Anwar Rahmat, Lavina Kumarendran and Datuk N. Sivananthan.
Deputy public prosecutor Tengku Amir Zaki Tengku Abdul Rahman appeared for the MACC.
The prosecution had sought for a remand order for seven days but Mohd Isa’s team of lawyers had objected to the application, saying he should not be remanded at all.
Mohd Isa was remanded to assist in the investigation under Section 16 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for the offence of accepting gratifications.
“We argued that he should not be remanded,” said K. Kumaraendran.
He said Mohd Isa should not be remanded merely for recording a statement, adding MACC could still record his statement when he is released.
“We asked for him (Mohd Isa) to be remanded in hospital. He has a severe and acute heart problem, which is supported by a medical report by a specialist,” said K. Kumaraendran.
“He (Mohd Isa) is not a flight risk and will not interfere with any witnesses,” said K. Kumaraendran, when reporters asked him about his submission in the court.
He also said that there is no allegation or evidence that he may destroy documents.
The counsel said he told the court Mohd Isa is being remanded to record statements over documents.
“We said that he (Mohd Isa) can still be let out and he can be called in to MACC to give statements on the documents,” said K. Kumaraendran.
“Tan Sri (Mohd Isa) gave an undertaking that he was prepared to go to the MACC, anytime,” he said.
“Hopefully, Tan Sri will be released on Sunday,” Kumaraendran said.
He said the prosecution in its submission indicated that it had almost completed the investigation.
Kumaraendran said Zainal told the MACC to allow the necessary medication to be given to Mohd Isa, if he needed any medical treatment.
He said the prosecution indicated that there is a hospital nearby (where Mohd Isa is detained) and that they will get the necessary medical attention, if needed.
Mohd Isa was detained at about 2.40pm by the MACC after he was questioned for two hours, at the MACC headquarters, on Tuesday.
He was detained in connection with the overpriced purchase of a hotel in London by the corporation’s subsidiary, Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd.