Malaysia's former army chief and wife charged with money laundering involving about US$540,000
Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, 58, and his wife Salwani Anuar, 26, were each charged with four counts of money laundering. Former armed forces chief Nizam Jaffar will be charged on Friday (Jan 23) for criminal breach of trust and graft, the anti-graft commission said.
Malaysia's former army chief Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, 58, and his wife Salwani Anuar, 26, were each charged with four counts of money laundering on Jan 22, 2026. (Photos: CNA/Fadza Ishak)
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s former army chief and his wife were on Thursday (Jan 22) charged with money laundering involving nearly RM2.2million (US$543,000).
In separate hearings, Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, 58, and his wife Salwani Anuar, 26, were each charged with four counts under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.
They pleaded not guilty and claimed trial after the charges were read at the Kuala Lumpur Special Corruption Court.
The legal action is part of a broader anti-graft campaign targeting irregularities in military procurement following a series of high-profile arrests and asset seizures since late 2025.
According to court documents, Hafizuddeain allegedly received proceeds of unlawful activities involving a sum of about RM2.1million.
Salwani - the third wife of Hafizuddeain - is alleged to have received proceeds of unlawful activities involving a sum of about RM77,000.
If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of at least five times the value of the illicit proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Hafizuddeain was appointed army chief in September 2023 and was slated to become the chief of the armed forces - the highest-ranking professional military post - before the promotion was suspended in late-December amid the corruption probe.
He was granted bail of RM250,000 while Salwani was granted bail of RM30,000.
Both were also told to surrender their passports to the court, and are required to report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) once a month.
According to a statement by the MACC on Wednesday, Hafizuddeain will face an additional two charges under the same law at the Shah Alam Special Corruption Court in Selangor on Friday (Jan 23), while Salwani will be charged with one offence at the Jertih Sessions Court in Terengganu on Jan 26.
The commission also said former armed forces chief Nizam Jaffar would be charged on Friday for criminal breach of trust and graft.
Nizam assumed the post in January 2025, becoming the first person to be selected from outside the "serving chiefs" of the three main branches of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Before that, he was the assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel Services at the Malaysian Armed Forces Headquarters.
His career included roles as aide de camp to Malaysia’s 14th king, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, who served from 2011 to 2016, and as commandant of the National Resilience College, according to the New Straits Times.
Nizam, who was due for mandatory retirement upon turning 60 in August this year, began his leave on Jan 1, according to media reports.
MACC said investigations involving two other senior armed forces officers were currently in the final stage, with investigation papers to be submitted to the prosecutors' office soon for further action.
The MACC has seized and frozen over RM52 million (US$12.82 million) in cash, gold, luxury goods and funds from more than 80 bank accounts in two separate cases linked to alleged corruption in army procurement contracts.
To date, a total of 23 people, including armed forces personnel and civilians, have been arrested.
The government has pledged to crack down on corruption and misbehaviour in the defence sector following recent scandals.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim launched the National Defence Industry Policy (NDIP) aimed at restoring trust, strengthening governance and institutions in the sector and building more local industrial capability.
“As we all know, when it comes to defence, it’s been a place for ‘songlap’ (embezzlement) and ‘sakau’ (stealing), where corruption in the defence sector was not merely a financial issue, but a direct threat to national security,” he said, as reported by news outlet Malay Mail.
Anwar said the policy was long overdue in light of recent scandals, although the integrity of the vast majority of personnel remained intact.
Earlier, he had announced that all procurement decisions by the Malaysian armed forces and the police linked to the MACC’s probe would be temporarily frozen until they fully comply with related rules.
Anwar said the government would also review all other procurement decisions that have been approved or are yet to be concluded.
At the opening of the current session of Parliament on Monday, Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar had called for an “all-out” fight against corruption, stressing that efforts must not only focus on bribe-takers, but also related parties including those offering bribes or acting in collusion.
Malaysia Defence Minister Khaled Nordin also slammed recent scandals involving the armed forces, promising a review of its tender and procurement processes and an overhaul to its anti-corruption measures.
“Corruption is a cancer that prevents us from competing as a mid‑level power,” Khaled had said, noting that immoral activities in military camps and an ongoing graft probe into procurement contracts have dragged his ministry and the Malaysian Armed Forces’ reputation through the mud.
Analysts have suggested tougher punishment for misconduct and parliamentary oversight for large arms purchases following the recent scandals in the armed forces.
