Former Malaysian finance minister Daim Zainuddin files legal action challenging anti-graft investigations
Daim Zainuddin, his wife and four children are seeking a court order to halt all investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its officers.
Malaysia's former finance minister Daim Zainuddin is the subject of an anti-corruption probe. (Photo: Bernama)
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KUALA LUMPUR: Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, his wife and his four children have filed a legal action to challenge the ongoing Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation against them.
Daim, 85, his wife Toh Puan Nai'mah Abdul Khalid, 66, and their four children, Asnida, 62, Md Wira Dani, 45, Muhammed Amir Zainuddin, 28, and Muhammed Amin Zainuddin, 25, and Ilham Tower acted as the applicants in applying for leave to seek judicial review at the High Court on Wednesday (Jan 10).
They named MACC and the public prosecutor as the first and second respondents.
In the notice of application obtained by the media on Thursday, the applicants said on Dec 30, 2023, MACC had issued a statement that it had initiated an investigation into Daim based on information from the Pandora Papers.
The Pandora Papers are a trove of documents, leaked in 2021, that revealed the hidden wealth of world leaders, billionaires and celebrities who used offshore companies to acquire mansions, private jets and stakes in companies.
However, Daim said the files did not indicate any wrongdoing by him and his family, instead accusing Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of initiating a “political witch-hunt” against him.
Daim had said in the wake of the leak that his business dealings, as revealed in the Pandora Papers, were legitimate. He added that he was a “successful and wealthy” businessman long before he entered politics and that taxes had been fully paid for his businesses and income.
In the same month, CNA reported that the multi-million-dollar Ilham Tower, a prime commercial building owned by the Daim family, was seized after he refused to declare his and his family's financial holdings.
Daim's wife and two sons were called up by MACC on Wednesday to give their statements pertaining to the investigation.
In their application on Wednesday, Daim and his family members are seeking a court order to halt all investigations by MACC and its officers, if the High Court grants the leave for judicial review proceedings.
They are also seeking, among others, an order for MACC and its officers to cancel all investigations initiated against them from February 2023 to date and to cancel all notices issued by MACC.
The application for leave for judicial review is set to be heard on Jan 16 via video session.
