Former Tabung Haji chairman's family sent representation against govt's suit to forfeit assets worth RM16mil

KUALA LUMPUR: The family members of former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim Ahli have submitted a representation to the Attorney-General’s Chambers against the government’s application to forfeit their assets, worth RM16mil, allegedly obtained through unlawful activities.

Lawyer Datuk Prem Ramachandran, representing the family, informed High Court judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin during proceeding of the case on Monday (Jan 3).

He said the letter of representation was submitted to the AGC last Nov 16 and requested for hearing of the case to be postponed pending the outcome of the representation.

Deputy public prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim did not object to it.

Lawyer Poh Choo Hoe, representing Maybank Islamic Berhad, the third party in the case, also did not object.

Following which, judge Muhammad Jamil fixed Feb 8 for case management for all parties to inform the court on the outcome of the representation.

In the forfeiture suit filed in September 2019, the government was applying to forfeit almost RM16mil from the accounts belonging to Abdul Azeez's wife Datin Seri Khadijah Mohd Noor, their four children - Mohamed Khairul Anwar, Mohamed Khairul Azman, Khaleeda Azwa, Khaleeda Azeera - and also a shop lot in Bandar Sunway, which was owned by their company, Azeera Management Consultants (M) Sdn Bhd.

On Dec 18, last year, the court dismissed the family's application to stay the forfeiture proceeding pending the disposal of the Baling MP's ongoing corruption case at the Sessions Court.

Abdul Azeez was currently on trial for three counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM5.2mil in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah and 10 counts of money laundering involving a total of RM13.9mil which he allegedly received from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

However, the trial had been postponed pending his appeal at the Court of Appeal to have the case against him struck out. - Bernama