THE ILHAM FOUNDATION, FIVE OTHER COMPANIES ALLOWED TO BE INTERVENORS IN MACC'S BID TO FREEZE ASSETS IN UK

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9  (Bernama) -- The High Court here today allowed an application by The  Ilham Foundation and five other companies to be intervenors in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) application to freeze several commercial and residential buildings,  worth GBP132 million, in London, United Kingdom (UK)

The assets comprise two commercial buildings at St Mary Axe and One Crown Court; three luxury residences at Bryanston Square, Bryanston Mews and Lancaster Gate; two residential units in Gloucester Place; and a bank account at CAF Bank Limited (UK), allegedly linked to the six companies.

Apart from The Ilham Foundation, which is linked to Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid, who is the wife of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, the other five companies are Copperfield Investment Holdings Limited, Straits Properties Ltd, Newton Assets Global Limited, Splendid International Limited and Catalyst Assets Limited.

Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid allowed the application after finding that the Deputy Public Prosecutor would not be prejudiced by the six companies’ move to intervene.

“The provision under Section 53(2) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001 is an in personam action, as the prohibition order sought would prevent the property owner from dealing with the property in question,” he said, adding that the court has jurisdiction to grant the application.

The judge also ordered the six interveners to file affidavits of reply within 30 days.

In today's proceedings, Copperfield Investment Holdings Limited and Straits Properties Ltd were represented by lawyers G. Rajasingam, Sathya Kumardas and Sharon Jessy, while the four other companies were represented by lawyers Nizamuddin Hamid, Abraham Au, Syed Afiq Syed Albakri and Vam Shir Mooi.

Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutors Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, Natrah Fareha Rahmat, Maziah Mohaide and Wan Nur Iman Wan Ahmad Afzal appeared on behalf of the respondents.

On June 3, the court allowed an ex parte application filed by the MACC to freeze the assets in question.

On May 22, MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said eight investigation papers had been opened based on new information received from external agencies, relating to assets owned by Daim, his family and proxies.

Azam said the latest information showed that the ownership of assets by Daim, his family and associates was not declared to the MACC during the investigation in 2023

-- BERNAMA