SHAH ALAM: Former army chief Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan was charged at the Sessions Court here on two counts of receiving RM145,000 in proceeds allegedly linked to illegal activities.
Muhammad Hafizuddeain, 58, who arrived at the court at 8.29am on Friday (Jan 23), pleaded not guilty after both charges were read out before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.
"I understand the charges and wish to claim trial," he said after each charge was read out.
Muhammad Hafizuddin is the first Army chief to be charged in court in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Malaysian Army's procurement tenders.
According to the charges, the former senior officer of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) was accused of receiving proceeds from illegal activities involving sums of RM115,000 and RM30,000, which were deposited into his bank account at a branch in Ampang Point, Ampang, between Feb 2, 2024, and May 19, 2025.
The charges were brought under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount involved or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
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On Thursday, Muhammad Hafizuddeain pleaded not guilty at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to four charges of receiving more than RM2.12 million in proceeds from illegal activities.
Under Ops Parasit, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Jan 7 detained a senior officer and his two wives in connection with army tender procurement projects, with the officer remanded for seven days and his wives remanded for three and six days respectively the following day.
The MACC investigation into the case began on Oct 7, 2025, and is considered sensitive as it involves high-ranking officers and public interest.
On Dec 23, 2025 a team of MACC officers arrived at the Defence Ministry to conduct preliminary investigations into several army projects dating back to 2023.
On Thursday (Jan 22), 23 individuals, including two high-ranking officers and four senior MAF officers, were detained by the MACC to assist in investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power, involving procurement matters and the use of public funds, as well as claims of receiving bribes from several companies, linked to the procurement of supplies for the Armed Forces Welfare Fund (TKAT) and the ministry.
Mohd Nasir allowed Muhammad Hafizuddeain to be released on bail of RM250,000 with two sureties, as ordered by Judge Azura Alwi on Thursday.
Additional conditions were also maintained, requiring the accused to report to the authorities once a month during the first week and to surrender his passport until the case is concluded. The case is scheduled for mention again on March 30.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat proposed that the same bail conditions be maintained, and requested that the case be transferred to Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court 9 for trial on March 30.
"March 30 March, 2026, has been set for the submission of documents. Since the Sessions Court 9 case involves four charges exceeding RM2.1mil, with the same witnesses and largely similar facts except for the bank accounts, I request that these two charges be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to save time," he said.
The request was not opposed by Muhammad Hafizuddeain's lawyer, Aizul Rohan Anuar.
Mohd Nasir then fixed March 30 as the next mention date at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
