Daim's wife claims trial over failure to declare assets

KUALA LUMPUR: Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, the wife of former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to a charge under the anti-graft law on Tuesday (Jan 23).

According to the charge sheet, Na'imah had intentionally given a written statement under oath that did not comply with the terms of notice under Section 36(1) (b) of the MACC Act 2009.

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The 67-year-old allegedly did not declare assets as stated in Appendix A, which includes two companies: Ilham Tower Sdn Bhd and Ilham Baru Sdn Bhd, two Mercedes-Benz cars and eight properties.

The properties are Menara Ilham in Jalan Binjai, a house in Persiaran Bukit Tunku, four lots in Bukit Tunku, one lot in Penang and a house in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

She was charged under Section 36(2) of the MACC 2009 and faces imprisonment of up to five years and a fine not exceeding RM100,000.

Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi fixed bail at RM250,000 in one surety and ordered for Na'imah to surrender her international passport pending the completion of the case.

The court fixed March 22 for mention.

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Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Feisal Mohd Azmi appeared for the prosecution while lawyers, former solicitor-general II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, and M. Puravalen represented Na'imah.

On Jan 10, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers summoned Naimah and the couple's two sons to record their statement.

She claimed that her husband had been persecuted for his success and that there was a plot to make it seem that he was corrupt.

Last month, the MACC seized the family-owned Menara Ilham as part of its investigations.

The MACC had previously said that the investigation carried out against Daim is based on existing laws and information from the Pandora Papers.