MACC to gazette notice for third-party claimants in 1MDB suits
The prosecution will gazette a notice on Aug 25 for third parties who have an interest in MACC’s civil forfeiture suits against Umno and six others, which seek to recoup over RM212 million in 1MDB-linked funds.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today allowed an application by DPP Kamal Baharin Omar to gazette the notice...
The prosecution will gazette a notice on Aug 25 for third parties who have an interest in MACC’s civil forfeiture suits against Umno and six others which seek to recoup over RM216 million in 1MDB-linked funds.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed an application by DPP Kamal Baharin Omar to gazette the notice, pursuant to Section 41(2) of the MACC Act 2009.
According to the provision, upon the publication of the gazette, any person who claims to have an interest in a property can attend court on the date stated in the notice, and show cause why the property should not be forfeited.
This took place during case management of the suits in open court today.
Besides Umno, the other six are Sabah Umno Liaison Committee; the late former Paya Besar Umno MP Abdul Manan Ismail; former domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism minister Hasan Malek; Wanita MCA; Perano Sdn Bhd and Binsabi Sdn Bhd.
Perano is a subsidiary of Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd which owns Galeri Hajra Tudung and Selendang stores. Binsabi is an events management company founded in 2010 by Sabiamad Abdul Ahad.
According to the cause papers, the prosecution is seeking RM212,965,413.61 from Umno; RM1,254,112.24 from the Sabah Umno Liaison Committee; RM265,146.16 from Manan; RM100,000 from Hasan; RM300,000 from Wanita MCA; RM337,634.78 from Perano; and RM827,250 from Binsabi.
No objections were raised by the respondents' lawyers towards the DPP's request to gazette the notice within the next two months.
Counsel Nurfazreen Hazrina Rahim represented Umno; Harcharanjit Singh for Sabah Umno Liaison Committee; Amin Othman for Hasan; Alane Neo for Wanita MCA; Thevini Nayagam for Perano; and Muhammad Hasif Hassan and Mohd Khalil Tajuddin for Binsabi.
During the proceedings, Zaini was surprised when Manan’s widow Rohiza Ahmad came forward instead of the deceased.
Zaini: Where is the respondent (Manan)?
Kamal Baharin: He passed away last year.
Zaini: (addressing Rohiza) You are his (Manan’s) wife?
Rohiza: Yes.
Zaini: When did your husband passed away?
Rohiza: On Feb 12, 2018.
Kamal Baharin then made an application to change the respondent's name in the suit, replacing Manan with his estate instead.
Zaini allowed it and scheduled the application to change the respondent’s name on July 4.
On June 21, newly minted MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya announced that forfeiture suits had been filed against Umno and 40 other entities to recover over RM270 million in funds linked to 1MDB.
Out of that amount, RM212,965,413.61 is being sought from Umno alone.
The first seven suits were called for case management today, with the other suits expected to follow on July 10, 24, and 31 .
Aside from the gazetted notice, the judge also scheduled dates for the following actions - July 25 for the respondents to file a reply to the seven forfeiture suits; Aug 15 for the prosecution to file a reply to the respondents’ replies and Aug 29 for the respondents to file any reply to that.
Zaini then set July 29 for case management of all seven suits.
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