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Prosecution withdraws appeals to forfeit RM21.7 million from Pekan Umno, 10 others

Deputy public prosecutor Kamal Bahrin Omar says the money seized will be returned to the respondents.

Bernama
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Malaysian flags wave in the breeze outside the Istana Kehakiman complex in Putrajaya which houses the Court of Appeal and Federal Court. Photo: Bernama
Malaysian flags wave in the breeze outside the Istana Kehakiman complex in Putrajaya which houses the Court of Appeal and Federal Court. Photo: Bernama

The prosecution today withdrew its appeals to forfeit funds totalling RM21.7 million belonging to 11 entities and individuals, including Pekan Umno and the Johor Umno Liaison Committee, allegedly linked to 1MDB.

The others are Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd, Jakel Trading, the Johor Bahru Barisan Nasional (BN) division, Mediaedge CIA Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Strategic Engagement Media Sdn Bhd (CENSE Media) director Sim Sai Hoon, AGA Touch Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Yayasan Persatuan Bekas Anggota Kemas Malaysia (Yayasan PBAKM) and former land and cooperative development minister Kasitah Gaddam.

Deputy public prosecutor Kamal Bahrin Omar notified the Court of Appeal bench today that the prosecution had withdrawn its appeals against the eleven respondents.

The notice of discontinuance of the appeals was filed on Jan 27.

Kamal Bahrin also told the court that the money seized would be returned to the respondents.

Justice Kamaludin Md Said, who presided with justices Abu Bakar Jais and Supang Lian, then struck out the appeals.

The prosecution had been unsuccessful in its bid at the High Court to forfeit RM700,000 from Pekan Umno, RM100,000 from Yayasan PBAKM, RM628,314 from Jakel Trading, RM10,747,042.77 from Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd, RM677,872.55 from the Johor Umno Liaison Committee and RM957,395.65 from Johor Bahru BN.

A separate High Court also dismissed the prosecution's appeal to forfeit RM100,000 from Kasitah, RM3 million belonging to IT firm AGA Touch (M) Sdn Bhd, RM41,261.64 from Sim, RM188,138.26 from SUPP and RM4,631,602 from Mediaedge CIA.

The court also fixed March 28 for the hearing of the appeals brought by the Pahang MCA Liaison Committee, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and the family of the late former Paya Besar MP and Umno division head Abdul Manan Ismail.

This is to enable them to file their representations to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) following the prosecution's stand to withdraw its appeals for the eleven cases.

Kamaludin, who chaired the bench, said there must be consistency since the prosecution had withdrawn its appeals for the eleven cases.

He then suggested that the counsels for the three cases submit their representations to the AGC.

Kamaludin also ordered the three parties to go for case management. 

Case management was subsequently conducted before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Muhammad Noor Firdaus Rosli, who set March 28 for the hearing of the three appeals. He also gave the parties until Feb 10 to submit their representations to the AGC.

Three separate High Courts had allowed the prosecution's application to forfeit money totalling RM2.1 million from the Pahang MCA Liaison Committee, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and Manan's family.

The 14 cases today are among those of 41 entities from which the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had sought to recover assets said to have been paid for using funds from 1MDB.