KUALA LUMPUR: Bersatu has filed another application for leave to initiate judicial review to challenge the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) action. This time it is for the seizure of its bank accounts for investigation.
The application was made on Monday, just a day before the High Court granted leave to the party to challenge the anti-graft body’s decision to freeze its bank accounts and impose a travel ban on party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The new application was filed by Bersatu’s working secretary Datuk (R) Capt Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya on behalf of Bersatu through Messrs Chetan Jethwani & Co on May 29.
He named Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun and MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki as the first and second respondents respectively and 20 other people as the third to 22nd.
Bersatu claimed that on April 19, its CIMB and AmBank bank accounts were taken hold of without any seizure order.
The party claimed that MACC made a media statement on April 20 that both accounts were seized on April 11 but the commission had not informed the party then.
It further claimed that MACC had frozen all of Bersatu’s bank accounts wrongfully.
Bersatu is seeking, among others, a mandamus order for all the bank accounts to be released from the freezing action and a declaration that the respondents could not extend the restriction on the accounts for more than 90 days by abusing the law provision under Section 50 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.The application has been fixed for hearing on June 22.
Yesterday, the High Court in granting leave to Bersatu for the first judicial review application found there were triable issues regarding the freezing order and travel ban.
Justice Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid, however, disallowed interim orders or reliefs sought by the applicants, Muhyiddin and Muhammad Suhaimi.
The interim court orders sought by them included the right to withdraw RM1mil from the frozen accounts required by the party for its operation, management, salaries, costs and other expenses as well as for the purpose of political activities.
It also sought the release of RM6mil from its accounts for the purpose of campaign activities in the upcoming six state elections.
According to the judge, the granting of such interim orders or reliefs would amount to interference in the power of the MACC.
The court then fixed June 21 for case management.
On March 8, Muhyiddin and Muhammad Suhaimi filed the first application naming Azam, MACC investigation division senior director Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hashim, MACC anti-money laundering division director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin, Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud, 13 MACC officers, along with the MACC, the Immigration Department and the government as respondents.
