Court sets July 8 to hear MACC's application to strike out ex-spy chief's originating summons

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The High Court has fixed July 8 to hear the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)'s application to strike out an originating summons filed by Malaysia External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) former director-general Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid (pic).

Hasanah is challenging the MACC's action to freeze her bank account in September last year.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad who is representing MACC told reporters on Friday (May 17) after case management in chambers before Justice Datuk Mohd Sofian Abd Razak that the application was filed on April 19.

Meanwhile, Hasanah's lawyer Datuk Shaharudin Ali said the court set the same date (July 8) to hear the originating summons.

He said the court would hear the MACC's application first to decide whether Hasanah's originating summons was frivolous, an abuse of the court process and had no locus standi.

"This is about the people's salary account, not 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)'s account and not the account of 1MDB's subsidiary and not a secret account. This is the salary account through which she was paid by the government."

On that basis, he said his client's summons was justified.

Hasanah, 61, filed the summons on March 28 this year and named MACC and the Malaysian government as first and second respondents.

She is seeking a declaration that the freezing order on her bank account dated Sept 3, 2018 was null and void.

She is further seeking a declaration that the order, under Section 37(1) of the MACC Act, was contrary to or inconsistent with the Federal Constitution.

In her affidavit in support, Hasanah claimed the MACC never informed her of the order while she was being remanded from Aug 29, 2018 until Sept 3, 2018.

She said after failing to make a banking transaction on Sept 4, 2018, she contacted the MACC investigating officer who told her that her account was temporarily frozen, a normal procedure by the MACC.

Hasanah said she sent five letters to the MACC between Oct 9 and Dec 18, 2018 for the freeze to be lifted.

She claimed she had no other source of income and depended fully on her pension which is channelled to her account.

On Oct 25, 2018, Hasanah claimed trial to criminal breach of trust involving US$12.1mil (RM50.4mil). - Bernama