KUALA LUMPUR – Tun Daim Zainuddin has lashed out against “old friend” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after being charged in court today with failing to declare his assets to the anti-graft authorities.
In a press statement read out to media after claiming trial at the sessions court here, the former finance minister said he did not want to elaborate on his charges but had a lot to say about “the state of our country”.
Daim had started reading out his statement but his weak voice could not be heard by reporters. His wife Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, who had accompanied him to court, then told him to stop and asked his lawyer to read the statement instead.
He went on to accuse Anwar’s government of “abusing its powers while betraying all promises of reform”.
“A wolf in sheep’s clothing who cries reforms, but does the polar opposite,” said Daim, 86, who once campaigned for Anwar when the latter ran as candidate in the Port Dickson by-election in October 2018. Both also go further back to their days in Umno when Barisan Nasional was in federal power.
Daim said under the present government, independent institutions, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), are being used as “tools to pursue political opponents”.
As an example, he pointed to the discharge and acquittal of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption charges.
Daim also took issue with investigations under the Sedition Act, Peaceful Assembly Act and Communications and Multimedia Act on those who have criticised the government.
“Is this the new Malaysia that was promised?” he asked four times in his press statement.
“In my twilight years, I may no longer have the physical strength, but my convictions have not wavered.
“I am not too bothered about my fate now, let Anwar throw everything at me. But I fear for the fate of my country.”
Daim earlier claimed trial to a charge of failing to declare 70 assets and one bank account to the anti-graft authorities.
He has been granted RM280,000 bail in one surety with no additional conditions due to his poor health.
The court has fixed case mention on March 22 for Daim and his wife Na’imah’s cases.
The undeclared assets include 38 companies, seven luxury vehicles such as a Rolls Royce Royce 2 Axle Rigid Body, three Mercedes-Benz, a Jaguar XJS HE, an Austin Morris Austin, and a Ford Prefect, as well as 25 properties that include condominium units, houses and hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Pahang, Negri Sembilan and Kedah.
Since February of last year, Daim, who had two spells as finance minister – from 1984 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2001 – has been investigated by the MACC over information linked to his naming in the Pandora Papers published in 2021. – January 29, 2024