KUALA LUMPUR: The daughter of the late former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin was granted permission by the court to keep her international passport permanently.
High Court judge Justice Nurulhuda Nur’Aini Mohamad Nor made the ruling after hearing submissions from deputy public prosecutor Nidzuwan Abd Latip and lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, who represented Asnida Abdul Daim, 65, during case management proceedings yesterday.
“There is no merit in holding the passport. Non-attendance has not been proven as a flight risk. There is no justification to keep the passport from the applicant. The applicant’s passport shall be returned to her within seven days from today’s order,” the judge said.
Earlier, Nidzuwan objected to the application, citing a risk of flight, as Asnida had previously failed to appear at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office to have her statement recorded.
“The applicant frequently travels abroad and has business interests there, so there is a potential flight risk. We ask the court to consider this case carefully, as it involves one of the children of the late Tun Daim and is a matter of public interest,” he said, Bernama reported.
However, Rajesh argued that frequent business travels abroad does not make her a flight risk, calling such an assumption unreasonable and noting she has remained in the country since surrendering her passport.
On April 7, Asnida pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to a charge of intentionally giving a false sworn written statement that did not comply with the terms of a notice under Section 36(1)(b) of the MACC Act 2009, dated Nov 8, 2023.
The notice was issued to Asnida by an MACC officer of the rank of Commissioner or higher on Nov 14, 2023, for failing to declare her shareholdings as required.
The shareholdings involved five companies: Amiraz Sdn Bhd, Arida Farms Sdn Bhd, Kangkung Catering Sdn Bhd, Transgrade Sdn Bhd and Gajah3 Foods Sdn Bhd.
The offence was allegedly committed at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009.
