Ex-spy chief Hasanah passes away

Former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) director-general Hasanah Abdul Hamid passed away at 12.30pm today.

A source from the government confirmed with Malaysiakini that she was battling cancer.

However, no additional details on her ailment were provided. She was 66 years old.

According to New Straits Times, Hasanah will be buried at Pusara Taman Raudhatul Jannah KLM at 4pm after her funeral, which will take place at Surau Al Ikhwan at Desa Pinggiran Putra, Kajang at 2.45pm.

On Oct 25, 2018, Hasanah claimed trial for one count of criminal breach of trust (CBT) amounting to US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) in government funds when she was serving as then director-general of the Prime Minister’s Department Research Division.

She was accused of committing the offence at the office of the Research Division in the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya between April 30 and May 9, 2018.

Hasanah was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which stipulated 20 years in jail, whipping and a fine.

In April 2021, Judge Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh granted a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) as the prosecution claimed there was a new development in the case.

Subsequent to the ruling, Hasanah attempted to reclaim cash that was seized by MACC during an investigation in 2018 but discovered that RM25 million was missing.

The case became public after Edisi Siasat, a blog, published an article alleging that police were hesitant to act on Hasanah's police report.

According to the blog post, Hasanah retrieved only a portion of her money while the rest had been replaced with counterfeit notes. However, the police denied receiving any report on the matter.

In September 2021, three officers from the MACC were detained over the missing RM25 million.

The MACC announced that it had completed the investigation into the missing money and submitted the investigation paper to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.

Last August, Hasanah was fully acquitted of CBT by the Kuala Lumpur High Court. Judicial commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain made the decision in response to the former’s appeal against the court's decision to grant her the DNAA. - Mkini