KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has named former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and 40 others in a forfeiture application involving RM700,000, believed to be funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), in a bank account under the name of Pekan Umno Division.
A total of 41 respondents were named in the application, with Pekan Umno division as the first, while Najib and his son, Datuk Muhamed Nizar, who is Pekan Umno Youth leader, as the fourth and eighth respondents, respectively.
The prosecution filed the notice of motion on the forfeiture application last Sept 4 following an order by High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali on Aug 30 for the public prosecutor to change the name of Pekan Umno division to the names of the office bearers.
Prior to this, the Pekan Umno division was named the sole respondent, which then objected to the notice on the grounds that the prosecution had named the wrong party and applied to strike out the notice.
According to the amended notice of motion, the prosecution is applying to forfeit to the Malaysian government the money that was held in a current account under the name of Pekan Umno division at CIMB Bank, as well as the interests.
The prosecution is also applying to publish a notice for any third party with interest to stake a claim on the money to contest the forfeiture action before the High Court on a specified date.
Earlier, Judge Mohd Nazlan allowed an application by deputy public prosecutor Allan Suman Pillai, from MACC to gazette the third party notice within two months.
The gazette of the notice is in accordance with Section 56 (1) and 61 (2) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Among the respondents who were in court today were Pekan Umno deputy leader Datuk Seri Zamri Ramly, its vice-chief Datuk Khairuddin Mahmud and Putri leader Sida Tantiana Sariat.
Lawyer Datuk M.Reza Hassan, representing all the respondents, requested for a stay of the forfeiture proceeding pending the outcome of their appeal against a High Court decision last Aug 30 which dismissed their application to strike out the forfeiture suit.
However, the prosecution objected to the application for a stay of the forfeiture proceeding and the court set Oct 3 to hear the matter, and also fixed Nov 15 for mention of the case.
In another case, Justice Mohd Nazlan allowed the forfeiture of property belonging to Tun Rahah Foundation and Pekan Umno Education Bureau chairman Datuk Ibrahim Awang Ismail to the Malaysian government.
The proceeding was held in chambers in the presence of lawyer Amin Othman, representing the foundation and Ibrahim, who said the amount of property involved could not be disclosed.
The two respondents had agreed to the forfeiture last Aug 23 and the consent judgment was recorded today. — Bernama
