KUALA LUMPUR – Former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin has accused Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki of being in cahoots to discredit him.
Declaring his innocence amid corruption and money-laundering investigations against him, Daim, who was finance minister during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first spell as prime minister, called on Anwar and Azam to respect the rule of law and due process.
“I categorically deny any corrupt act or wrongdoing of whatsoever nature by myself or my family. This investigation is nothing short of a political witch-hunt against us,” Daim said in a statement today.
“As a former senior member of the government and out of respect for the investigative process, I have kept silent until now. However, the prime minister and MACC have not shown the same respect for the process with their continuing uncalled-for comments and statements.
“(This) has left me with no choice but to respond in order to protect my reputation and good name,” he added.
The former right-hand man of Dr Mahathir when the latter was prime minister also said he was consulting lawyers and would be taking “appropriate action” in due course.
Daim, 85, also claimed that it was “public knowledge” that Anwar regarded him as a “political threat” and a “foe who must be discredited”.
“Anwar’s latest tirade against me on December 22 (saying) ‘it is an open secret. Someone had reaped so much wealth’ is a reckless and unsubstantiated insinuation that I am guilty of some unspecified offences. This amply shows his animus against me.
“It is also highly inappropriate and an abuse of power for a prime minister to interfere or influence an ongoing investigation by making blatant public insinuations of guilt,” Daim said.
He stressed that he had yet to be informed of the offences he had allegedly committed, despite repeated written queries to the MACC.
Daim said he had consistently extended his full cooperation to the MACC and regularly communicated with the agency via his lawyers.
“I can reveal that we (Daim and his family) received a letter signed by Azam himself declining point-blank to tell me what the offence is.
“Yet, there has been an organised effort to discredit me by releasing misinformation and baseless insinuations against me.
“As such, it is patently false for MACC ‘sources’ to claim that I have not made a proper disclosure of the financial details demanded by MACC. I reiterate that all that was asked for in writing by MACC was disclosed and in accordance with the law.”
On MACC “sources” speaking to the media, Daim also said Azam should take responsibility for leaked information.
“As head of the organisation, (Azam) must also be held responsible for a slew of ‘source’ news leaks on the purported investigation. These so-called ‘sources’ can only be coming from within the MACC as it purports to reveal details of the said investigation.
“The purpose of the leaks are clearly to justify their high-handed actions against me and to paint myself as a corrupt person and offender. Not being told of the offences against me, I am in no position to answer them or defend myself.”
On December 22, Anwar said graft busters must be allowed to carry out their investigations into “open secrets” on supposed corruption as government leaders must not be perceived to be protecting major wrongdoing.
The prime minister said this when questioned by reporters on the MACC’s December 18 seizure of the Ilham Tower, a commercial building owned by Daim, in connection with his alleged involvement in a case involving RM2.3 billion in public funds in the 1990s.
On December 24, Azam told Scoop that the MACC’s investigations into Daim will include looking into his domestic and international assets as well as businesses, with the probe focused on the acquisition of his assets and businesses such as property, hotels and financial institutions overseas.
During Daim’s tenure as finance minister in Dr Mahathir’s administration, the government oversaw the “forced” takeover of shares of the public-listed company Renong Bhd.
In November 1997, UEM, Malaysia’s largest infrastructure firm, purchased a 33% stake in Renong for RM2.3 billion, leading to the latter’s value plummeting as investors dumped shares in both firms.
This happened during the Asian financial crisis of 1997, and was dubbed a bailout of certain business figures closely linked to the government at that time.
Since leaving public office, Daim has acknowledged that various reports on alleged corruption have been lodged against him, and that the MACC has investigated him each time.
He maintained that despite all this, he had never been charged. – December 28, 2023