Latest news with #1MDB-related
Daily Express
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Ex-Umno man Isham Jalil acquitted of contempt
Published on: Tuesday, July 08, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 08, 2025 By: V Anbalagan, FMT Text Size: Former Umno leader Isham Jalil (left) with his counsel Azhar Harun after the Kuala Lumpur High Court delivered its verdict today. Kuala Lumpur: The High Court here has acquitted former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil of contempt over remarks on Najib Razak's 1MDB-related cases. Justice K Muniandy said the prosecution failed to prove that Isham's statements, made in late 2023, posed a real risk of interference in the administration of justice. 'The claim that the administration of justice was derailed or sullied by the statements does not hold water,' he said. Muniandy also said the allegation that Isham's statements had scandalised the judiciary appeared untrue. Filed on Dec 28, 2023, the application to cite Isham for contempt concerned statements he allegedly made during an interview titled 'Townhall for Justice: Keadilan Sebenarnya Untuk Siapa' published on Sept 30 through a Facebook account known as Malaya Post. In an affidavit filed in support of the leave application, deputy public prosecutor Mustapha Kunyalam claimed that Isham had commented on Najib's 1MDB and SRC International trials, and on the Federal Court's conduct of the final appeal in the latter case. Isham allegedly accused Justices Collin Lawrence Sequerah and Nazlan Ghazali of bias and said they should have withdrawn from hearing the cases. Sequerah is presiding over Najib's 1MDB trial in the High Court while Nazlan was the judge who convicted the former prime minister in the SRC case. Both Sequerah and Nazlan now sit in the Court of Appeal. Mustapha also said Isham had claimed that the panel of five judges, led by former chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who heard Najib's final appeal from his conviction and sentence in the SRC case, had judged the case unfairly. According to the affidavit, the statements made by Isham could undermine the public's confidence in the judiciary and could be considered as interference with the administration of justice. Muniandy ruled that the attorney-general had not discharged the burden of proof in the case before him, adding that criticism levelled by Isham against the courts' various decisions were within reasonable limits. He said the law of contempt was not designed to protect judges or their dignity but to ensure that the administration of justice was not obstructed. 'As judges, we must stand resilient in the face of adversity and criticism, for the scales of justice must never be swayed by external pressures,' he said. He said that when delivering judgments, judges not only decide cases but also reinforce public trust in the judiciary, proving that even in the most emotionally charged circumstances, the pursuit of truth and application of law can, and must, prevail. 'The most effective way for the judiciary to dispel unwarranted criticism and defend its integrity against scurrilous attacks is through the delivery of judgments that are undeniably fair, just and deeply rooted in the principles of law,' he said. Muniandy said while Article 10 of the Federal Constitution allowed for free speech, the right was not absolute and came with inherent limitations, including contempt of court. 'While freedom of speech is the cornerstone of democracy, its exercise must respect the vital function of the judiciary. However, (the contempt process) should be reserved for where there is real risk of undermining the administration of justice,' he added. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
1MDB saga: Standard Chartered Bank refutes US$2.7bil claim by liquidators in Singapore
StanChart said it has not yet received the legal claim documents, and emphatically rejects any claims made by these companies. - Photo: ST file SINGAPORE: More than US$2.7 billion (S$3.4 billion) in alleged misappropriated funds are being sought from Standard Chartered Singapore (StanChart) in a High Court lawsuit filed by liquidators in the 1MDB saga. The suit, which represents the latest attempt to recover funds siphoned from 1MDB as part of a decade-long hunt involving several of the world's largest banks, was brought by court-appointed liquidators from financial services firm Kroll Angela Barkhouse and Toni Shukla. It seeks to hold StanChart accountable for its role in allegedly enabling fraud to be committed against Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund 1MDB and the systematic theft of funds. StanChart, in response to The Straits Times' queries, said it has not yet received the legal claim documents, and emphatically rejects any claims made by these companies. Three companies in liquidation linked to 1MDB alleged that between 2009 and 2013, StanChart permitted over 100 intrabank transfers that helped conceal the flow of stolen funds and chose to overlook obvious red flags regarding these transfers. The suit claims that in doing so, the bank failed to comply with Singapore's anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and client due diligence rules. The suit claims the three companies lost over US$2.7 billion and $20 million in public funds. The liquidators claim these companies were shell companies with no legitimate business and were linked to fugitives Low Taek Jho and his associate Eric Tan. They operated under false pretences, and acted as a conduit for funds misappropriated from 1MDB to launder monies. StanChart, in a statement on Tuesday (July 1), said: 'Any claims by these companies are without merit and Standard Chartered will vigorously defend any lawsuit commenced by the liquidators.' It added the transactions at issue date back to 2010. 'We reported the transaction activities of these companies, both before and at the time we shut their accounts in early 2013, and fully cooperated with the investigating authorities,' StanChart said. 'As set out in the Monetary Authority of Singapore's December 2016 media release on the penalties on StanChart for 1MDB-related AML breaches, MAS concluded their inspection of StanChart in relation to 1MDB-related fund flows. 'While MAS identified regulatory breaches, the inspection did not find pervasive control weaknesses or wilfull misconduct at Standard Chartered,' the bank said. 'Standard Chartered takes our responsibility to fight financial crime extremely seriously. We have made significant investments in strengthening our controls and uplifting our AML standards, and will continue to do so,' it added. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
1MDB saga: Standard Chartered Bank refutes $3.4 billion claim by liquidators in Singapore
StanChart said it has not yet received the legal claim documents, and emphatically rejects any claims made by these shell companies. PHOTO: ST FILE SINGAPORE - More than US$2.7 billion (S$3.4 billion) in alleged misappropriated funds are being sought from Standard Chartered Singapore (StanChart) in a High Court lawsuit filed by liquidators in the 1MDB saga. The suit, which represents the latest attempt to recover funds siphoned from 1MDB as part of a decade-long hunt involving several of the world's largest banks, was brought by court-appointed liquidators from financial services firm Kroll Angela Barkhouse and Toni Shukla. It seeks to hold StanChart accountable for its role in allegedly enabling fraud to be committed against Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund 1MDB and the systematic theft of funds. StanChart, in response to The Straits Times' queries, said it has not yet received the legal claim documents, and emphatically rejects any claims made by these shell companies. Three companies in liquidation linked to 1MDB alleged that between 2009 and 2013, StanChart permitted over 100 intrabank transfers that helped conceal the flow of stolen funds and chose to overlook obvious red flags regarding these transfers . The suit claims that in doing so , the bank failed to comply with Singapore's anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and client due diligence rules. The suit claims the three companies lost over US$2.7 billion and $20 million in public funds. The liquidators claim these companies were shell companies with no legitimate business and were linked to fugitives Low Taek Jho and his associate Eric Tan. They operated under false pretences, and acted as a conduit for funds misappropriated from 1MDB to launder monies. StanChart, in a statement on July 1, said: 'Any claims by these companies are without merit and Standard Chartered will vigorously defend any lawsuit commenced by the liquidators.' It added the transactions at issue date back to 2010. 'We reported the transaction activities of these companies, both before and at the time we shut their accounts in early 2013, and fully cooperated with the investigating authorities,' StanChart said. 'As set out in the Monetary Authority of Singapore's December 2016 media release on the penalties on StanChart for 1MDB-related AML breaches, MAS concluded their inspection of StanChart in relation to 1MDB-related fund flows. 'While MAS identified regulatory breaches, the inspection did not find pervasive control weaknesses or wilfull misconduct at Standard Chartered,' the bank said. 'Standard Chartered takes our responsibility to fight financial crime extremely seriously. We have made significant investments in strengthening our controls and uplifting our AML standards, and will continue to do so,' it added. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Malaysia cracks down on online critics amid controversial mobile data tracking project
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian authorities are taking action against online critics of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration, with politicians and members of the public being called in for police questioning in recent weeks, charged or muzzled. This comes amid growing unease over the government's Mobile Phone Data (MPD) project, which collects users' mobile data from telcos, without an opt-out option. Despite government assurances, critics have raised concerns over data privacy and security, fearing the information could be misused for surveillance. Already, there have been moves to silence online critics. Most recently , two channels of messaging service Telegram were bloc ked for allegedly harmful content that violated local laws. Whistleblower watchdog Edisi Siasat (investigation edition), with 1.18 million members, and its companion channel Edisi Khas (special edition), are no longer accessible in Malaysia. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ( MCMC ) said on June 19 that it obtained a temporary court order against Telegram and two channels on the platform for allegedly disseminating content that violates the country's laws. Malaysia's communications regulator said it sought the court order against Telegram following the platform's 'serious failure to address content that has been repeatedly reported to it'. The nature of the harmful content was not disclosed. The MCMC's latest move echoes its 2015 block on UK-based news blog Sarawak Report over 1MDB-related content. And now, at least half a dozen individuals have been questioned by the police for social media posts critical of government decisions, including the data-collection scheme. 'They (the authorities) have to stop the data collection. Why is there a need for large-scale monitoring?' said Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Pahang Youth chief Wong Siew Mun, whose party is aligned with the Anwar-led unity government. 'This involves public interest and trust. We are trying to foster public discourse on this... We have a role to play in making sure the government is doing the right thing ,' she told The Straits Times, adding that the data-collection project should be tabled in Parliament for debate and scrutiny. Ms Wong was questioned by the police on June 18 over a video she posted on TikTok, in which she questioned whether Malaysia is truly undergoing reform s or slipping into 'dictatorship,' following the government's decision to collect data from telcos without individual s' consent. In its pilot phase, the MPD project is expected to continue until 2026. The government and telcos stress that only 'anonymous' data will be collected – meaning, no names or ID numbers – and that the data is for official use and is protected by strong laws, information leaks can and do happen . But experts warn that even when data is anonymous, it can sometimes be pieced back together to identify individuals. 'No personal data will be shared,' and 'we are not aiming to track the whereabouts of any individual,' MCMC deputy managing director Zurkarnain Mohd Yasin told the media on June 9. The growing scrutiny and pushback against critics comes at a time when the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration is facing growing public discontent, including over the rising cost of living, even as it faces growing tensions within the ruling coalition. All of which appears to contradict his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition's longstanding commitment to free speech, undermining his reform agenda. In fact, social media censorship in Malaysia surged during Datuk Seri Anwar's first year in power, according to a TikTok report released in mid-2024. Currently , several individuals are being investigated by the authorities , including those questioning political developments within the ruling coalition. Lawmaker and former Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli on June 9 highlighted the case of X user Amer Hamzah, whose wife filed a police report after their home was visited by officers from both the MCMC and the police. Besides Mr Amer, Mr Rafizi also identified other social media accounts allegedly targeted for commenting on the recent internal elections of his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), where Nurul Izzah Anwar, the Prime Minister's daughter, was declared deputy president over Rafizi, who held the post previously. 'The content under investigation merely constitutes personal opinions about the PKR elections and does not violate any law. If it is indeed considered an offence, then it should be addressed through transparent and legitimate procedures, not through tactics that instil fear,' Mr Rafizi said in a statement. The MCMC also summoned social media influencer Aliff Ahmad in April after he posted an offer on Facebook to investigate Ms Nurul Izzah's background using his platform, Scrut Analytica, if the post received 20,000 shares. Meanwhile, online seller Norizan Yahaya, 62, was charged on June 13 with posting offensive content regarding the authorities' investigation into the GISB sect on YouTube in September 2024. He was charged under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both. In January, Malaysia introduced a new social media law requiring social media platforms and messaging services with more than eight million users in Malaysia to obtain a licence or face legal action. In pushing for the licensing of social media platforms, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil had said the measure is needed to combat the spread of online crimes, including scams, gambling, and child pornography. The minister has also sought to allay fears among the public over the data-collection scheme. 'The telcos will not be sharing any data containing personal information. Only anonymised data will be (shared), and it will be processed as carefully as possible by the telcos,' he was quoted as saying by the Free Malaysia Today news website on June 8. In addition, the Department of Statistics Malaysia posted on X on June 10 that the data collected would subject to appropriate safeguards. But the skeptics are not buying it. 'There is no such thing as anonymised,' X user Thevesh posted on June 7, adding that such data could be reidentified when combined with other information and thus 'very prone to abuse.' Sensitive behavioural data involving one's health, lifestyle or religious matters could easily be uncovered, noted Woon King Chai, director at Malaysian think-tank Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research. 'A user who connects to a transmitter in Taman Tun Dr Ismail every weekday at 7.20am and another in Putrajaya at 8.45am reveals a consistent home-to-work pattern,' he said, in a post on the Malay Mail's news website on June 17. He also expressed concerns about the growing intolerance of free speech, saying that when individuals who publicly questioned the MPD project are 'subjected to investigations and enforcement action', this fuels fears that the initiative is 'less about planning and more about control'. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Malaysiakini
05-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysiakini
Najib's signature on 1MDB-linked documents inconclusive: Expert
1MDB TRIAL | A forensic document examiner told the High Court today that there were both similarities and dissimilarities in Najib Abdul Razak's purported signatures on several 1MDB-related documents, rendering her findings inconclusive. Tay Eue Kam, a handwriting expert from PHA Handwriting Analysis Sdn Bhd, said she could not determine the authenticity of the signatures as she had only received photocopied documents from Messrs Shafee & Co for analysis.
