Daim Zainuddin’s wife has contended that the tycoon is prepared to face any criminal charge – even if it takes place in the hospital.
Na’imah Abdul Khalid said he was not using his hospital stay as an excuse to evade being hauled to court.
“Subject to the permission of the hospital and medical team, Daim is prepared to face this political charge in the hospital itself.
“We will leave this to (MACC chief commissioner) Azam (Baki) and the MACC to decide,” she said in a statement today.
Na’imah rubbished Azam’s claim that the anti-graft agency had notified Daim’s legal team a week ago that he would be charged.
She further refuted the claim that this could not be done as her husband was hospitalised.
“There is no truth to this statement by Azam Baki. I can confirm that neither myself nor our legal counsel was ever informed that Daim would be charged with any offence.
“We were only told that a statement was to be recorded from him. Only today, reading the news reports, have I discovered that Daim is to be charged.
“Hence, the insinuations made by Azam that Daim is somehow evading being charged by getting hospitalised is false and mischievous. Particularly offensive are his disparaging remarks against the dedicated and professional doctors of this hospital,” Na’imah said.
She explained that Daim was warded and was undergoing treatment.
Azam today told Malaysiakini that the MACC received the green light from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to charge former finance minister Daim in court under the MACC Act 2009 last week.
However, the MACC chief commissioner claimed they were unable to proceed with the prosecution as Daim had been in a hospital for unspecified health reasons.
According to Azam, Daim is expected to face at least one charge for failure to declare several properties that Daim and his wife have interests in.
Azam expressed his disappointment over Daim’s doctor’s alleged failure to be upfront with the MACC investigating officer on why the retired politician was deemed unfit to be present in court.
“We received the approval to press charges against Daim over a week ago.
“When the investigating officer notified his lawyer that Daim needed to be present in court, the counsel informed MACC that Daim had been admitted to a private hospital.
“We have checked it, and Daim was indeed hospitalised before we received the green light to press charges,” he said.
Azam added that the doctor treating Daim did not reveal why the tycoon was warded and instead gave MACC the runaround on his condition.
MACC has the option to bring the judge to the private hospital where Daim is warded for his charge to be read out, he said, however, this would not be their first option unless the situation warrants it.
Na’imah herself was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday, to which she claimed trial to failing to abide by a MACC notice to declare her assets. – Malaysiakini
Related reports:
Jan 23, Na’imah continues to claim charges are political revenge
Jan 22, Daim’s wife to be charged tomorrow
Jan 18, New document leak linking Daim’s family to RM240m trust fund surfaces