KUALA LUMPUR – Tun Daim Zainuddin’s wife, Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, will have to wait a little longer for the court to decide on her challenge to the lower court’s order over the surrender of her international passport.
High court judge Datuk Ahmad Bache has set March 13 for hearing, and ordered the prosecution and defence to file their written submissions by March 4.
Both sides will have until March 11 to submit their arguments.
“Hearing is set for March 13,” he said to a calm Na’imah who was in the courtroom.
Na’imah is represented by lawyers M. Puravalen, Rajesh Nagarajan, Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal and Nizamuddin Hamid.
Deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Feisal Mohd Azmi, Mohamad Fadly Mohd Zamry and Maziah Mohaide appeared for the prosecution today.
Before she entered the courtroom, Na’imah took the opportunity to joke with reporters and photographers, saying “berapa gambar nak ambil” (how many photos are you taking).
The impoundment order on her travel document was set by sessions court judge Azura Alwi after Na’imah, 67, claimed trial to a charge of failing to declare her assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on January 23.
Previously, the prosecution had applied for the court to issue a RM500,000 bail for Na’imah, as well as for her passport to be surrendered to the court and an order for her to report to the MACC every month.
Puravelan had pleaded for the court to not order the surrender of his client’s passport as she may need to make overseas travel on short notice to accompany her husband for treatment of his serious medical condition.
However, judge Azura set bail at RM250,000 with one surety and ordered Na’imah to surrender her passport to the court, pending disposal of her case. The judge also set March 22 for case mention.
Na’imah was charged under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009 for allegedly giving a sworn written statement on December 1, 2023 that did not comply with the notice terms served to her under Section 36(1)(b) of the same legislation.
Scoop previously detailed the various possessions Na’imah was accused of hiding from the anti-graft agency, including multiple corporate entities, luxury vehicles and several properties. – February 19, 2024