KUALA LUMPUR – Tun Daim Zainuddin’s wife, Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, arrived at the court complex here at 8.32am to challenge the lower court’s order for the surrender of her international passport.
Dressed in a lilac baju kurung, she was accompanied by lawyers Rajesh Nadarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal at the courthouse.
She also took the opportunity to joke with reporters and photographers, saying “berapa gambar nak ambil” (how many photos are you taking), before she entered the courtroom.
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.
Na’imah’s legal counsel Rajesh had confirmed the filing of the revision application when contacted by Scoop last week.
According to checks on the court’s schedule, the case will be heard today before high court judge Datuk Ahmad Bache.
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.
However, her lawyer Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abidin had pleaded for a lower bail of RM250,000, while fellow defence counsel M. Puravalen submitted that there was no need for Na’imah to surrender her passport as she was not a flight risk.
Puravelan had also 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.
The notice was issued on November 8 last year and served to her on November 14.
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