Court throws out RM100k 1MDB forfeiture suit against Yayasan PBAKM

The Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed the government's forfeiture suit against Yayasan Persatuan Bekas Anggota Kemas Malaysia (PBAKM) to recover RM100,000 allegedly from 1MDB.

Justice Muhammad Jamil Hussin delivered the verdict during open court proceedings this morning.

In a brief oral decision, Jamil ruled that the applicant failed to prove that any or part of the RM100,000 still remained in the respondent's bank account.

The judge said this is because numerous transactions involving monetary flow into and out of the respondent's account has taken place since the RM100,000 was banked into the account on Oct 22, 2013.

He was referring to the RM100,000 cheque that was given by former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to Yayasan PBAKM earlier in October 2013.

Jamil noted that during the previous hearing on the suit, Yayasan PBAKM never denied that it had received the RM100,000 from Najib through the cheque.

He further noted that the respondent contended that multiple transactions of money going in and out of its bank account had taken place since then.

"The respondent's bank account showed money from other sources," Jamil said, adding that the applicant failed to show which part of the money in the account was from Najib and which was from other sources.

Deputy public prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim appeared for the prosecution while the foundation was represented by counsel Julita Ilhani Abdul Jabbar and Mohamed Azahari Matiasin.

Meanwhile, later in the same court, Jamil set July 21 and 27 to hear the government's forfeiture suits against Johor Umno and Selangor Umno respectively.

The government is seeking to forfeit RM677,872.55 and RM2.7 million of alleged 1MDB funds from Johor Umno and Selangor Umno.

The judge set the hearing dates after no third parties were present in proceedings today to stake their claim in the suits.

Previously, the court set today to allow any third party to come to court and contest the legal actions.

During both proceedings, Nik Haslinie appeared for the prosecution while counsel Syahrul Syazwan Salehin and R Hanita appeared for Johor Umno and Selangor Umno respectively.

On June 21 last year, it was reported that MACC filed civil forfeiture suits worth RM270 million against 41 local individuals and groups.

Among the respondents were Yayasan PBAKM, Johor Umno, and Selangor Umno. - Mkini