Daim, family seek judicial review to unfreeze assets

FORMER finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin and his family have filed for a judicial review seeking to unfreeze their assets worth millions.

Daim filed his application at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 6 through Messrs Zharif Nizamuddin, naming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and the government as respondents.

Besides Daim’s wife Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, among the applicants are his four children and 18 companies.

The 18 companies are: Kangkung Catering Sdn Bhd; Gajah3 Resource Centre Sdn Bhd; Aad Equity Sdn Bhd; Yayasan Haji Zainuddin; Ilham Baru Sdn Bhd; Anchor Point Sdn Bhd; Adrihaniz Sdn Bhd; Syarikat Maluri Sdn Bhd; Amiraz Sdn Bhd; Ridana Sdn Bhd; Daan Sdn Bhd; Maya Seni Holdings Sdn Bhd; Magical Zone Sdn Bhd; Permatang Maju Sdn Bhd; Brainstorms Sdn Bhd; Arida Farms Sdn Bhd; Ilham Tower Sdn Bhd dan Selidik Jaya Sdn Bhd.

They are seeking a declaration that the asset seizures executed by the MACC are illegal, an abuse of power, irrational and in bad faith.

They are also seeking general and exemplary damages to be assessed under Section 44(6) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AMLACFT).

Na’imah, in her supporting affidavit, claimed her family was adversely affected by the MACC’s action in seizing the said accounts.

The 67-year-old also claimed she and her family have been targeted by Anwar since her husband was a close acquaintance of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and that Anwar and Dr Mahathir had “history” which was well-known.

Daim and his wife were charged earlier this year at the sessions court with allegedly failing to comply with the terms of an asset declaration notice issued by the MACC.

Daim is accused of failing to declare his ownership of 38 companies, 19 plots of land in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Kedah and Kuala Lumpur, as well as six properties.

Meanwhile, Na’imah is accused of failing to declare her ownership of companies, several plots of land in Kuala Lumpur and in Penang, as well as two vehicles.

On December 23 last year, the MACC confirmed that it was investigating Daim over allegations of corruption and money laundering.

Daim subsequently labelled the probe against him and his family as a “political witch hunt.”

On December 30, the MACC, in response, said the probe on Daim began in February 2023 based on information from the Pandora Papers. – June 11, 2024