MACC links RM15m received by Kedah Umno to 1MDB-Tanore scandal

A Kuala Lumpur High Court was told today that the RM15 million channelling into the bank account of Kedah Umno by former Prime Minister Najib Razak few years back partially came from Tanore Finance Corporation.

This was in the submission of deputy public prosecutor Abdul Rashid Sulaiman before justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) bid to seize partial assets from Kedah Umno.

Abdul Rashid believed the six cheques totalling RM15 million given to Kedah Umno between April 2012 and June 2013 were the outcome of illegal activities.

Here's the breakdown of six cheques received by Kedah Umno - RM1 million (received on April 25, 2012); RM1 million (June 6, 2012); RM2 million (Jan 10, 2013); RM5 million (March 6, 2013); RM5 million (April 5, 2013) and RM1 million (June 19, 2013).

Abdul Rashid said some of the above transactions took place after Najib received RM2.08 billion in his bank account from Tanore between March 22, 2013 and April 10, 2013.

"It was not proper for the prime minister to receive such a huge amount of money via his personal bank account," he said.

"It was meant for political use, but it also raised questions regarding the source of the fund even though there is no law barring the respondent (Kedah Umno) from receiving money," argued Abdul Rashid (above).

He raised the legitimacy of the source of fund from Najib when Najib himself was slapped with multiple charges related to 1MDB-Tanore case under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (Amla).

Meanwhile, G Nadaraja, the counsel representing Kedah Umno, submitted that the money given to his client was all spent as of 2014.

"The money was all spent, no more balance in the back. In 2017 and 2018, (Kedah Umno) received RM28 external donation," he said.

"There is no nexus for the applicant to link the balance of money to the illegal activities," he said.

Nazlan then set Dec 13 for decision.

Earlier, Nazlan also dismissed an application from the Kedah Umno to recuse himself from hearing the forfeiture suit by MACC.

Nazlan who also hears the SRC International Sdn Bhd and ordered Najib to enter defence, said the 1MDB-linked forfeiture suit has nothing to do with SRC trial.

"I found that the respondent failed to show the real danger of bias (for me to hear the case)," ruled Nazlan (above).

"I will proceed with the trial of (forfeiture suit against Kedah Umno)," he said after hearing the submission in the preliminary objection by the respondent, Kedah Umno.

Nadaraja submitted there was a real danger of bias for Nazlan to hear the forfeiture suit as the latter has all the access to documents and evidence of the SRC case.

Kedah Umno was among the 41 entities being sued in MACC’s civil forfeiture suit announced on Friday, which is aimed to recover RM270 million that purportedly originated from 1MDB.

The MACC’s suits had targeted RM1,054,019.22 from Kedah Umno.

Also appeared in court were the MACC deputy public prosecutor Allan Suman Pillai and lawyer R Hanita, who represented Kedah Umno.  - Mkini