Azam: Daim out of hospital, likely to be charged in court next week

Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin has been discharged from hospital today and is likely to be charged in court next week, said MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki.

Azam said the politician's lawyer told the MACC investigating officer in charge of his case earlier today.

"His lawyer has communicated with my IO (investigating officer) that Daim was already discharged from hospital.

"From what I understand, he was discharged earlier today.

"Now the IO is in communication with Daim's lawyer to set a date for his day in court. Most likely it will be next week," Azam told Malaysiakini.

Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin

The anti-graft’s top officer also said the MACC will inform the media once they have the court date.

When asked if MACC was informed of the reason for Daim’s hospitalisation which delayed his prosecution, Azam replied in the negative.

However, he said what matters now is they can already set a date for the case.

Unclear why Daim hospitalised

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that MACC had received the green light from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to press criminal charges against Daim last week.

They planned to prosecute Daim with at least one charge over his alleged failure to declare several properties that he and his wife have interests in.

However, prosecution against the 85-year-old tycoon had to be delayed as he was in the hospital, which Azam claimed was for unclear reasons.

The MACC chief had also expressed his disappointment over the alleged failure of Daim’s doctors to be upfront with the MACC on why Daim was hospitalised.

Later on the same day, Daim’s wife Na’imah Abdul Khalid issued a press statement saying that Daim was ready to face any criminal charge and he was not using his hospital stay as an excuse to evade being hauled to court.

On Tuesday, Na’imah was charged in court for failing to comply with an MACC notice that required her to disclose her assets.

The assets she allegedly did not disclose involved multiple plots of land, properties, and Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

She was charged under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009 at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court and claimed trial. - Mkini