[UPDATED] High court voids claim of secret Umno donation stash

KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here has thrown out the prosecution’s affidavit accusing Umno of having a secret account for unaudited political donations.

Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin said the affidavit was filed without the leave of the court and may prejudice the third-party claims in the proceedings.

“I rule that the affidavit cannot be used in the proceedings. I will not consider the affidavit in support,” he was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.

The affidavit is linked to a 1MDB forfeiture suit against Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd. 

Filed on February 10, the prosecution via the affidavit claimed that the RM114.16 million in cash – sought by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Umno in the forfeiture suit – belonged to the political party.

The prosecution filed the forfeiture application against Obyu Holdings to forfeit items that included 11,991 units of jewellery, 401 watches and 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of eyewear and 306 handbags, as well as cash in various denominations amounting to RM114,164,393.44.

The money and jewellery were seized by the authorities over links to the 1MDB scandal.

Najib and Umno are third parties in the application.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, in his submissions, had said in Umno’s case, its claim of the seized cash being political donations was, at best, disingenuous, for it was most bewildering for a party that once vehemently denied having any knowledge or connection with the monies, to now stake a claim as its true master.

“The feeble claim advanced by Najib and Umno that the seized cash is political donations pales in comparison with the weight of evidence that suggests otherwise. No amount of finesse can whitewash the trace of wrongdoings stemming from the cash seized,” he had said. – The Vibes, March 11, 2021