Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 24): The wife of former SJ Securities Sdn Bhd remisier Datuk David Goh Hock Choy was charged today with failure to assist in an investigation and provide a statement to Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) as required under the law.

Chok Chew Lan, a director at Tsunami Capital Sdn Bhd, claimed trial at the Sessions Court. She was accused of failing to appear before an SC investigating officer to be examined orally and to assist in the ongoing investigation against Goh.

Chok, 55, is alleged to have committed the offences under section 134(5) of the Securities Commission Malaysia Act on Sept 5 and 19. If convicted, she could be punished with a jail term of up to five years, or a fine of up to RM1 million, or both.

Judge Hasbullah Adam granted her bail of RM20,000 with one surety, and ordered her to surrender her passport. The case is fixed for mention on Nov 27.

Chok's lawyer, Guok Ngek Seong, earlier proposed a bail amount of RM10,000 and a waiver for Chok from having to surrender her passport as she has to travel abroad for business and to visit her son who is studying in the UK.

"There is no risk of the accused absconding," Guok told the court.

The prosecution claimed that Chok had ignored five notices to appear before the investigating officer. She, however, disagreed, saying that her failure to appear on the first three notices was due to an ongoing judicial review application.

Chok had filed the application in May to seek the court's direction on whether the issuing of the notices violated the legal privilege that protects the privacy of communications between spouses. The hearing of the application proceeded from the Sessions Court to High Court, which ruled against her.

Goh had been charged at the Sessions Court with share manipulation just after he was arrested on Sept 4, 2012 upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

SC had earlier sought police assistance for the issuance of an Interpol red notice on Goh as he had been out of Malaysia since July 2011.

Goh pleaded not guilty to creating a misleading appearance of active trading of Lii Hen Industries Bhd shares by being involved in the sale and purchase of shares that did not result in any change of beneficial ownership. The trades were allegedly executed through 42 accounts at nine stockbroking firms between March 2004 and October 2004.

Also claiming trial was businessman Siow Chung Peng who was charged with abetting Goh in the commission of the offence.

If convicted, they face a fine of up to RM1 million and imprisonment of up to 10 years.

Lii Hen specialises in integrated furniture manufacturing. The stock closed one sen higher at RM4.16 for a market capitalisation of RM748.8 million.

 

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