KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will apply for court orders to restrain assets linked to the late former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin in six countries, including the United Kingdom, as part of an expanded probe into undeclared wealth held by his family and proxies.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said cooperation will be sought through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) arrangements, with requests channelled via the Attorney-General’s Chambers, local media reported.
“We are looking at six countries (including the UK). The names of these countries will be announced later,” he told reporters today in Kota Bahru after attending a retirement ceremony for outgoing Kelantan MACC director Rosli Husain. Rosli’s duties will now be taken over by Azmin Yusuff.
Azam added that domestic assets linked to Daim will also be subject to forfeiture proceedings if there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
On June 3, the MACC froze seven properties and a bank account—three of which are luxury homes in London—allegedly owned by Daim’s wife, Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, and other family members. The total value of these assets was estimated at £132 million (RM758.2 million).
The commission said the assets were believed to be connected to offences under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.
However, on June 23, the Kuala Lumpur High Court temporarily suspended the freezing order, following a successful application by Na’imah’s lawyer, Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar, against the ex parte order obtained by the MACC.
Subsequently, on June 25, the MACC filed a separate forfeiture application involving the 60-storey Menara Ilham in Kuala Lumpur, a property reportedly linked to Daim.
Earlier, on May 22, Azam revealed that eight investigation papers had been opened based on new information from foreign agencies concerning Daim’s domestic and overseas assets. – July 3, 2025