KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here has allowed Bersatu to file a judicial review leave application challenging the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) seizure of its two bank accounts.
Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid said the political party has demonstrated a prima facie case against the MACC, and that it was neither frivolous nor vexatious.
The court then set case management for November 28 during the online proceedings.
Bersatu was represented by Rosli Dahlan, Chetan Jethwani, Amiratu Al Amirat, and Tang Jia Yearn. The Attorney-General’s Chambers is represented by senior federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly and federal counsel Imtiyaz Auni.
In a statement after the court’s decision, Rosli said both Bersatu’s judicial review applications insisted that MACC’s actions were to cripple the party’s access to funds and finances in the run-up to an election.
He also said Bersatu submitted that the freezing of its accounts was improper because it was never charged with any offence under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
On May 29, Bersatu’s public officer, Datuk Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya, filed the application for leave to initiate a judicial review to challenge the MACC action to seize its bank accounts for investigation.
He named the then attorney-general Tan Sri Idrus Harun and MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki as the first and second respondents, respectively, and 20 other individuals as the third to 22nd respondents.
Bersatu claimed that MACC released a statement on April 20 that two accounts were seized on April 11, but never informed the party on the said date. – October 30, 2023