Former UMNO Treasurer sued for cheating, deceit and forging documents

by Hafiz Yatim@http://www.malaysiakini.com

Sixty British investors through Fiscal Capital Sdn Bhd have filed a RM12 million suit against a firm owned by former UMNO Treasurer Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi for cheating, deceit and forging documents in the purchase of six telecommunication switches.

The investors had approached the Chambers of Kamarul Hisham and Hasnal Rezua and had filed the suit on February 20 at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, in a press conference today, said the investors had lodged a police report on October 5, 2011, but they complained that action had been slow.

She claimed that they only started investigations last month. Zuraida said the matter had been brought to the attention of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and also Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Mukhriz Mahathir while they were in the United Kingdom, but there had been no progress.

Lawyer Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin said the matter has been fixed for case management on March 21. He, along with partner Hasnal Rezua Merican, said the Police have sent the case to the Attorney-General’s Chambers but he got to know that the A-G had returned the papers to the Police.

“We cannot understand the slowness of the authorities’ action despite a police report having been lodged more than a year ago. Following this, our clients have asked us to come out to exert pressure,” he said.

The investors, through Fiscal City Sdn Bhd, named Doxport Technology (M) Sdn Bhd, and its directors Abdul Azim (left), Gurmeet Kaur and Sivalingam Techinamoorthy as defendants. Abdul Azim is also the chairperson of Doxport Technology.

Complaint to House of Lords

The victims had also complained to British politicians including Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, who will bring this matter up at the House of Lords next month.

Lord Ahmed, who was not present, said in a statement that a number of British MPs have been aware of the background to this unsettling case for several years, where British citizens and investors have made serious allegations involving misappropriation of funds.

“I have personally raised this issue with senior members of the Malaysian government. As the investors have stated to me, their demand is non-malicious and plain. They are seeking natural justice to take its course and any alleged perpetrators brought to book,” he said.

“I appeal to the executive and its representatives to continue to support and facilitate the due process, which is in the interest of Malaysia’s international reputation as a reliable hub for inward investment and trade,” he said.

Statement of claim

According to Hasnal, the investors had invested US$4 million (RM12 million) since 2008, to purchase the switches and have a stake in Doxport Technology.

The plaintiffs claimed that they had paid RM6.9 million for the purchase of the switches and another RM5.8 million to purchase the stake. The six switches were then purchased and placed in Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Saigon, Singapore, Manila and Hong Kong.

They claimed that since the switches were in operation it had generated revenue and that the investors should have received the return for their investments, for helping purchase the switches.

The investors claimed Doxport Technology had made false representations, based on fraudulent documents. They approached Lord Ahmed and also the British High Commission over Doxport’s failed business.

The plaintiffs further claimed that the defendants had made a misrepresentation to them resulting in them to suffer further economic losses.

Hence, the defendants are seeking RM6.9 million which they had fork out to purchase the switches and another RM5.8 million for the stake in the company along with general, aggravated and exemplary damages.