Daim seeks transfer of asset declaration case to another court
Daim Zainuddin is charged with failing to comply with the terms of an asset declaration notice issued by MACC.
KUALA LUMPUR: Daim Zainuddin wants his asset declaration case transferred to another sessions court to avoid the possibility of bias if the same presiding judge also hears a similar charge brought against his wife.
In the application filed on Tuesday, the former finance minister said current sessions court judge Azura Alwi should not preside over charges brought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against him and wife Naimah Khalid for failing to declare their ownership of certain properties.
In court today, deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How confirmed that the application was served on the prosecution yesterday.
He said the prosecution intends to file an affidavit in response to Daim’s transfer application.
Azura then fixed the application for hearing on July 4.
Lawyers M Puravalen and Nizamuddin Abdul Hamid appeared for Daim.
Earlier this year, Daim pleaded not guilty to a charge under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009 of allegedly failing to comply with the terms of an asset declaration notice issued by the anti-graft agency.
He is accused of failing to declare his ownership in 38 companies, 19 plots of land in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Kedah and Kuala Lumpur, as well as six properties.
Daim is also accused of failing to declare his ownership of Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd and Amanah Saham Nasional accounts, as well as seven luxury vehicles.
In a separate charge, Naimah is accused under the same provision of failing to declare her ownership of various companies, several plots of land and two vehicles.