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PUTRAJAYA (July 1): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is looking into "new leads" in former Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim's 13 charges of graft and money laundering amounting to RM19.1 million which may have repercussions for the case against him.
Abdul Azeez's lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad said that the anti-graft body revealed this in the reply to the representation letter sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC).
"Last June 27, we received the MACC's feedback regarding representation and letters of support to [the] AGC. [In the MACC's reply], it is understood that [they will] take note of the issues raised in our representation.
"The MACC confirms that there are new indications where they will take follow-up action and brief the AGC," he said.
The counsel said this when addressing a Court of Appeal (CoA) panel that is set to deliver its decision on the Baling Member of Parliament's appeal to drop all the charges against him.
At the start of Friday's (July 1) proceedings, Amer Hamzah asked for a postponement of the matter pending the AGC's decision on the letter of representation.
The lawyer added that based on his understanding, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki indicated in the reply that there are certain aspects which need further investigation and the anti-graft body would then proceed to brief the AGC.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Aslinda Ahad confirmed that there are new developments in the investigation, and said that the AGC needs a bit more time to study them. Therefore, she said that the AGC was not objecting to the application to adjourn the decision.
The panel — comprising Justice Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, Justice Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Justice Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali — then granted the adjournment to Aug 26.
CoA panel not amused with multiple postponements
The panel, however, was not amused in granting the postponement as the decision has now been postponed three times.
When asked why the representation letter concerned the CoA's decision, Amer Hamzah replied that he strongly believes that the outcome of the representation "will put an end to the entire episode", and there will not be a need for the CoA to deliver its decision.
Justice Kamaludin said that the last adjournment was in March and quipped, "Then they want to take the whole year to decide?"
The panel added that although they are ready with their decision, since the AGC was not objecting to the application they would have to consider the request for adjournment.
"This is the last postponement. It is requested that any decisions by the AGC and the MACC be done within a reasonable time frame," Justice Kamaludin said.
Speaking to reporters later, Ameer Hamzah said that he could not disclose the content of the representation as it was "confidential".
He added: "Bear in mind when the matter was brought to the court, it was under the previous Attorney-General. We felt that the charges were rushed and not thoroughly investigated."
The crux of Abdul Azeez's appeal is that the charges brought against him in the Session's Court are defective and groundless as they lack specific details which would allow him to put his defence.
He is appealing against High Court Judge Justice Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin's decision to dismiss his bid to strike out the charges which include three counts of corruption and 10 counts of money laundering.
The High Court judge ruled on March 12 last year that the charges are not defective and instead based on legal provisions. However, he allowed Abdul Azeez's trial in the Sessions Court to be postponed.
Abdul Azeez is facing three charges of receiving bribes worth RM5.2 million relating to a road project in Perak and Kedah as well as 10 money laundering charges involving a total of RM13.9 million that he allegedly received from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.
Menuju Asas is said to have received road work contracts through limited tenders from the Ministry of Works.
Abdul Azeez is accused of committing the corruption offences in Jalan Tun Perak in December 2010 and at Pusat Bandar Puchong, Selangor in June 2017 and April 2018, while the money laundering acts were committed around the Klang Valley between March 2010 and August 2018.