KUALA LUMPUR: Assets worth £132 million (about RM758.2 million) in London, belonging to Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, widow of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, have been frozen under a court order obtained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
According to a report in an English daily, the Kuala Lumpur High Court, presided over by Judge Azhar Abdul Hamid, granted the MACC’s application in an ex parte hearing earlier today.
The court was reportedly satisfied that the assets may be linked to offences under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
It was reported that the frozen assets include two commercial buildings, five luxury residences, and a bank account in the United Kingdom.
The freeze is believed to be part of ongoing efforts to trace and recover assets suspected to be connected to unlawful activities.
The Ilham Foundation, reportedly chaired by Na’imah, is a non-profit focused on cultural, educational and social initiatives. The properties in question were believed to have been purchased between 2013 and 2021.
The court order is expected to be submitted to UK authorities for enforcement.
This move follows a statement by MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, who recently said the commission is in the process of seizing over RM2 billion in undeclared assets allegedly connected to Daim.
Azam said eight investigations have been launched based on new intelligence, some of which originated from international partners in countries such as the UK and Switzerland.
He also said these assets were not revealed during the MACC 2023 investigation into Daim and that several case files have been opened since February 2023. Daim passed away on Nov 12 last year at the age of 86.
Following his death, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court discharged and acquitted him of charges related to failing to comply with a notice under Section 254 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
