Daim's lawyers claim Azam Baki's latest statements prejudicial, disregard's Judge's advice
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Tun Daim Zainuddin's lawyers today said that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki is going against the Judge's wishes by continuously making statements against the former finance minister and his pending case.
Lawyers for Daim said Azam Baki's repeated remarks against Daim were sub judice and prejudicial since the presiding Judge had warned all parties not to make any more comments on the matter.
Yesterday, Azam Baki was reported saying that investigators might summon Daim for questioning on suspicion of more undeclared assets. He said investigators recently received information about Daim’s alleged assets and are now verifying it.
“This is the latest of a continuing series of statements or comments from Azam and the MACC on Daim’s alleged holdings, despite the court charges already pending. Apart from direct statements, there are also endless leaks through so-called 'sources', MACC and otherwise.
“The latest statement by Azam suggests that Daim is guilty of an offence and is clearly related to the charge of failure to disclose alleged assets. Hence, it is unwarranted and smacks of sub judice. Further, the Sessions Court Judge presiding over Tun Daim’s case had advised all parties not to make any statements that would affect the ongoing court proceedings,” Daim's lawyers said in a statement.
“It is clear that Tan Sri Azam Baki’s comment, which was published widely, is in serious disregard of the judge’s advice. This statement is also highly prejudicial to our client’s constitutional right to a fair trial. We strongly urge Tan Sri Azam and the MACC henceforth to respect the justice system and the legal process.”
Former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas is representing Daim.
Daim has been charged at the Sessions Court for failure to declare his assets. The 86-year-old pleaded not guilty after the charge, made under Section 36(2) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act.
The MACC began investigating the business tycoon last year, attributing it to information obtained from the Pandora Papers that was first leaked and exposed in 2021 by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that identified Daim as among several high-profile Malaysians with links to offshore tax havens preferred by the rich and powerful.
Several other information leaks since then have linked Daim and his family to offshore business entities and trusts worth at least £25 million (about RM141 million).
Daim’s sons, Muhammed Amir Zainuddin Daim and Muhammed Amin Zainuddin Daim were reportedly named owners of a British Virgin Islands firm Newton Invest & Finance Limited in 2007 when they were nine and 12 respectively.
By 2017, when the brothers were in their early 20s, they were owners of several offshore firms set up in tax havens, including Splendid International Ltd (BVI) which held London properties worth £12 million (about RM65 million at 2017 exchange rates).
Besides the two BVI firms, the brothers and their mother are also shareholders in several other offshore companies which hold properties in London.
