Former MAS chairperson Tajudin Ramli may face a charge under the Companies Act, but only after the court has disposed of a slew of legal suits filed against him by several government linked companies (GLCs).

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz confirmed that there is evidence to show that Tajudin had allegedly violated provisions under Section 131 of the Companies Act 1965 (Act 125), and that the attorney-general had forwarded the case to the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) for further consideration.

tajudin ramli mas 070910 However, Tajudin had applied for a stay on the charge until the courts dispose of the on-going suits filed against him, to which the attorney-general agreed.

Nazri said this in a written reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) in parliament.

There was no clear indication in the written answer on which case Tajudin will be charged, though it did state that the evidence was based on testimony recorded in a case file referred to the attorney-general in 2006.

The gravity of the charge is also vague, as the written answer merely stated that Tajudin faces a “compoundable offence” under the Act. Offences under Section 131 of the Act carry a penalty of seven years jail, RM150,000 fine or both.

Police reports filed in 2002 and 2005

The last known investigation on Tajudin is believed to have been carried out by the commercial crime investigation department (CCID) based on two police reports filed in 2002 and 2005.

It was claimed that the-then CCID chief Ramli Yusoff recommended that action be taken against Tajudin and two others under Sections 131(1) and 131(2) of the Companies Act for failing to disclose their interests and making false declarations.

Tajudin had allegedly acted inappropriately in a cargo handling contract in Germany between MAS and Advanced Cargo Logistics GmbH (ACL), a company which he was said to have controlled through nominees and had a close relationship with ACL directors.

He is also accused of using his position in MAS to secure the deal for ACL, to the detriment of MAS.

Tajudin is currently facing a clutch of lawsuits by several GLCs, which are claiming that he had failed to follow up on a “global settlement” deal that he himself had proposed to settle alleged non-payment of loans taken up to fund his acquisition of a 32 percent stake in the national carrier in 1994.

Tajudin himself filed a counter-claim of RM13 billion against the GLCs and the government. The Kuala Lumpur court has fixed Nov 3 for case management.

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