Latest news with #IlhamTower
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Former MACC chief questions legality of second seizure of Ilham Tower
Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad has questioned the legality of the second seizure of Ilham Tower, suggesting the move may exceed the bounds of Malaysian law. Now a practising lawyer, Dzulkifli pointed out that the asset had already been seized under Section 38(1) of the MACC Act on Dec 18, 2023. He said action under Section 38 requires the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) to be satisfied that the asset in question - Ilham Tower - either constitutes the proceeds of, or is evidence related to, a corruption offence. "If no charges are brought or civil forfeiture proceedings initiated before June 17, 2025 - the end of the statutory 18-month period - it raises a fundamental question as to whether the original seizure was justified," he said in a statement today. Dzulkifli, the MACC's third chief commissioner, added that although the MACC Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) operate under different legal frameworks, two overlapping seizure orders on the same property may be seen as an overreach of authority. "This is because legal powers must be exercised based on necessity, fairness, and proportionality," he said. It was reported yesterday that Ilham Tower, located on Jalan Binjai, had once again been seized by MACC. The commission said it had obtained approval from the DPP to seize the building, which is linked to the late former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin. According to the agency, the latest seizure was carried out via an Immovable Property Seizure Notice dated June 4, 2025, under Section 51(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA). Dzulkifli said enforcement actions must be grounded in clear legal thresholds, not procedural convenience. "If AMLA is invoked merely to maintain control of the asset as the earlier MACC order nears expiry, it may undermine the rule of law and call into question the legitimacy of the original seizure," he said. He also noted that the absence of further action by June 18 would suggest that Ilham Tower was never genuinely linked to a corruption offence under the MACC Act. "This raises a critical question: why is there now a need for a new seizure order under Section 51 of AMLA? What new evidence, if any, justifies this action?" he asked. He added that the Ilham Tower case presents a significant test of how far enforcement and prosecutorial powers may be exercised within the law. "With the June 17 deadline approaching, all eyes are on the DPP's next move. Will there be a charge? Forfeiture? Or will the order lapse - signalling that the asset was wrongly targeted from the outset?" he said.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
MACC moves to forfeit Daim-linked Menara Ilham
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will apply for the forfeiture of Menara Ilham, a building owned by the family of former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin. This follows the MACC receiving authorisation from the deputy public prosecutor to seize the building on Jalan Binjai for a second time. MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the forfeiture would be carried out under Section 55 or Section 56 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001. "We have already submitted an application under Section 51 of AMLATFPUAA (to seize the tower), and the next step will be to file an application under Section 56 or 55 of the same Act to forfeit the asset (Ilham Tower)," he said when contacted. Section 55 allows for the forfeiture of property following a conviction, while Section 56 provides for civil forfeiture without the need for prosecution or conviction. Commenting on the second seizure of Menara Ilham, Azam said it involved two different legal provisions. "Previously (the December 2023 seizure) was carried out under the MACC Act, while this time it involves the AMLATFPUAA," he said. Yesterday, the MACC announced that the seizure prohibits all dealings involving the transfer of ownership of the property. Ilham Tower, located in downtown Kuala Lumpur near the Petronas Twin Towers, houses a four-star hotel, office spaces, a gallery, and other facilities. This is not the first time the MACC has seized the 60-storey tower. In December 2023, the MACC invoked its powers to take control of the 274-metre-tall skyscraper, estimated to be worth between RM1.5 billion and RM2 billion. Sources said the tower was seized for 18 months, the longest duration granted to the MACC to date. The move was understood to be part of an investigation into a corporate transaction valued at RM2.3 billion involving publicly listed Renong Bhd and United Engineers Malaysia Bhd.
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Ilham Tower seized again by MACC
PETALING JAYA: The iconic Ilham Tower (pic) has been seized again by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) – this time under a different Act. The anti-graft body did so after receiving legal authorisation for the seizure from the deputy public prosecutor's office. The tower, owned by the family of the late former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, whose widow Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid is facing charges in court, had been seized in 2023 but the order expired recently. With the new order, all dealings related to the 274m-tall tower's transfer of ownership will be prohibited. The MACC said it had ordered the immediate seizure of the 60-storey skyscraper under Section 51(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001. 'Through a notice of seizure of immovable property under the section on June 4, the authorisation for seizure was granted pursuant to the powers conferred upon the Public Prosecutor under Section 376(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593). 'This means the deputy public prosecutor is satisfied with the information provided by the MACC related to an offence under subsection 4(1) of the AMLATFPUAA 2001 for this case,' it said in a statement yesterday. The tower was originally seized by the MACC in December 2023 due to an offence under the MACC Act 2009. That seizure order expired after 18 months. The seizure is believed to be part of an anti-money laundering probe that started in late May this year over a RM2.3bil (US$500mil) corporate transaction in November 1997 involving public-listed Renong Bhd and United Engineers Malaysia Bhd (UEM), both Umno-linked entities. Meanwhile, lawyers for Na'imah has issued a statement, labelling the seizure as 'pure harassment'. 'The same building has already been seized by the MACC and yet, is now being seized again. 'In short, they want to keep seizing our client's property even though there is no evidence of corruption. 'We will, on behalf of our client, challenge the seizure of Ilham Tower in court immediately,' said lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal. On May 22, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said eight investigation papers had been opened into the assets owned by Daim, his family and proxies, which had not been declared to the MACC during the initial 2023 investigation. On Wednesday, the High Court allowed an application by the MACC to freeze £132mil worth of assets in London that were also allegedly linked to Na'imah and her family.
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Thursday (June 5, 2025)
Malaysia * Anwar files appeal against High Court's dismissal of bid to refer immunity questions to apex court * Appeals court defers decision in Tommy Thomas' appeal to recuse judge * Three Jitra students killed in accident on NSE * Lawyers for Daim's widow to challenge MACC's seizure of Ilham Tower in court * Malaysian entrepreneur apologises for spending 'only' RM1mil on daughter's 11th birthday * KTMB receives two of 10 new ETS trains, testing underway * PETRONAS to cut 10% of workforce after profits slump * Police arrest man for alleged molestation in Bayan Lepas * MACC seizes Ilham Tower again * Penang to hear from vape industry before deciding on ban, says CM * Loke hints KLIA aerotrain to be back in service soon * Cabinet did not discuss Tengku Zafrul's position, Umno's request for seven minister posts, says Fahmi * Body found in Bangsar construction site is that of missing British man, say cops * Johor MB announces management takeover of Desaru Coast resort * Thirteen foreigners arrested for illegal homestay operations * Bukit Aman denies detaining stranded Haj pilgrims * Customs seizes RM5.1 worth of vapes, liquid in Penang and Selangor * Malaysia stands firm on labour commitments * Over 30 foreign workers injured in Bangi bus crash Singapore * Queues at VEP application centres in Singapore, Johor Baru after news of enforcement from July 1 * Three weeks' jail each for married couple who smuggled dogs from Malaysia * 12 weeks' jail for school IT support technician who took upskirt videos of teachers in Singapore * Three taken to hospital after 11-vehicle collision outside Chijmes in Singapore * Man charged over bomb threat made on plane leaving Singapore * US tariff, export controls not directed at Singapore, says Rubio in meeting with Vivian * GrabCab to launch in July with 40 new Toyota Prius taxis for a start * Now ready to hit the road, Singaporeans relieved after beating deadline Indonesia * Indonesia allowing nickel industry abuses to go unchecked: Report * Jakarta Police under fire for criminalising student paramedics * Central Java Police arrest hundreds in street crime crackdown * Indonesia rolls out US$1.5bil stimulus package after growth slows * Pressure mounts on Indonesian Vice President Gibran as impeachment process continues Thailand * Paetongtarn: Thailand rejects ICJ authority, urges issue containment * Thai Army denies starting border clash, cites self-defence * Thailand urges bilateral resolution over Cambodia border clash * Malaysian senior citizen killed in road accident in Narathiwat, Thailand * Thailand unveils landmark entertainment complex to boost economy, tourism * Thailand urges talks after Cambodia threatens to take border dispute to world court * Former abbot of Bangkok temple returns from exile to face embezzlement charges * Thai Constitutional Court rejects two petitions involving GT200 and former PM Prayut * Fire breaks out at building under construction in Bangkok * Thailand takes urgent action after Myanmar cargo ship runs aground near Surin Islands, damaging coral reefs, threatening marine life * Thailand and Cambodia to hold joint border meeting on June 14 * White Lotus buzz can't reverse Thailand's tourism decline * Paetongtarn in heated Q&A with press over Thailand–Cambodia border dispute Philippines * Philippines signs deal for 12 fighter jets: South Korea manufacturer * Singapore and Philippines to expand collaboration in renewable energy, sustainability and healthcare * China urges EU to stop 'provoking trouble' in South China Sea dispute * Philippine Vice President Duterte questions impeachment trial under new Congress Vietnam * Vietnamese say no to more kids after two-child limit scrapped * Vietnam sends trade demand reply as US turns up China heat * HCM City launches sixth cashless day programme * Vietnam sends document responding to US trade requests * Two-child policy revoked amid low birth rates Myanmar * Art exhibition celebrates 75 years of China-Myanmar diplomatic ties through brush, ink * Myanmar monsoon creates fertile breeding ground for Asian openbill storks Cambodia * Cambodia holds ground on ICJ resolution of border issue; subject off table for June 14 talks with Thailand * Cambodia's 'Green season', halal offerings target Indonesian tourists Laos * Laos President commends Malaysian Chief Justice's visit to deepen judicial ties * Laos strengthens teacher development to boost education * Laos launches training centre to improve nutrition * Laos continues efforts to prevent dengue spread Brunei * Bruneian man admits to attacking woman's boyfriend * Brunei holds nationwide special prayers for health, well-being * Brunei introduces fact-checking platform against misinformation Aseanplus * Trump slaps new travel ban on 12 countries including Myanmar, partial ban on Laos * Trump, Xi spoke by phone as trade and tech disputes strain ties * Local actress Saidah Kamarudin cancels wedding, claims ex has only RM500 in his bank account * 5.0-magnitude quake affects nearly 6000 in China's Yunnan * Airbnb experiences themed after K-pop boy band Seventeen to be rolled out in major cities * Immigration detains 13 foreigners running illegal homestay business * Amir Hamzah tasked with handling follow-up on Woodlands land acquisition, says Fahmi * Selangor Aero Park unmatched in Asean region for space, says Loke * Pearly-Thinaah silence Istora fans by beating Lanny-Siti for quarters ticket * Bursa Malaysia rises for 2nd straight day on continued bargain hunting * Keluang Man takes flight: Malaysia's iconic superhero finally soars to the silver screen * Karnataka government appoints Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner to probe stampede incident * Four North Koreans crossed maritime border with South, Seoul says * South Korea's new President Lee begins moves to tackle economic 'crisis' * Magnitude 5.3 earthquake strikes northernmost Mongolia * South Korean lawmakers approve special investigations into martial law and Yoon's wife * New Zealand parliament confirms unprecedented lengthy suspension of Indigenous lawmakers * China rolls out major reforms ahead of gaokao or national college entrance exam * Japanese kids say they want to work in a cake shop when they grow up * South Korea's Hanwha offloads Eutelsat stake as Starlink rival seeks new investors * BWF explore two more new scoring styles at world juniors in India * Afghans struggle to mark Aidil Adha amid US sanctions * Fund crunch hits Rohingyas in Bangladesh hard * Mushroom murders: Accused killer says she lied to police * Malaysia remains key area for investments in upstream activities, decarbonisation, energy transition - BMI * Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge shows the limits of impressively thin phones * Gamers get hold of Nintendo's hotly awaited Switch 2 * Oil slips on US stockpile build, Saudi Arabia price cuts * Annual births fall to another record low in Japan as population emergency deepens * Asian shares creep higher, dollar languishes before ECB * Bursa Malaysia ends morning session in positive territory * Malaysia disappointed over UNSC's failure to secure Gaza ceasefire * China drafts rules for driver assistance systems to boost safety * Pakistan condemns escalating Israeli atrocities against Palestinians * Soon Huat-Shevon, Tang Jie-Ee Wei cruise into Indonesian Open quarter-finals * Hong Kong bolsters top court with first foreign judge in a year * Suzuki Motor halted Swift car production due to China's rare earth curb, Nikkei says * Guinea-Bissau president Embalo departs for Macau after official visit to Malaysia * China is working on an ultra-fast torpedo powered by AI for submarine warfare * New Zealand PM floats privacy laws after staffer accused of filming women * China's first foreign-owned hospital seeks more medical tourists * O&G sector earnings weakness to persist in 2Q * New South Korea President unveils first batch of key nominations including PM, top aides * Eleven dead in stampede at India cricket celebrations * Asian stocks cautious ahead of Japan bond auction * Edit images like a pro with this new mobile app * Former Taiwanese boy band F4 reportedly planning to reunite for concert in 2026 * 'Like a graveyard': South Korea President Lee Jae-myung on the empty presidential office * Japan's ispace counts down to second moon-landing attempt on June 6 * North Korea's Kim vows 'unconditional support' for Russia's war in Ukraine * China issues bounty for hackers it says are linked to Taiwan * Malaysia, Thailand strengthen cross-border disaster preparedness * Gamers line up for Nintendo Switch 2 on launch day * 'I am not bankrupt': TVB star Rosina Lam sets the record straight on bankruptcy rumours * Ringgit opens higher against greenback amid weaker US economic data * Oil settles 1% lower on large builds in fuel stocks * Asia registers Covid-19 spike * Feting 75th ascent anniversary of Mount Annapurna * Fugitive capybara finally caught by zoo * Now you see it, then you don't * About 100 dead cats found in woman's squalid home * 24% US tariff looms for Malaysia * President Lee vows to revive economy * PETRONAS devoted to its Canadian job * EPF weighs RM8bil sale of UK private hospitals * Bursa rebounds to close higher on bargain hunting * Ringgit eases against the greenback * From poverty to presidency
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Daim's widow to challenge Ilham Tower seizure in court
Ilham Tower belongs to former finance minister, the late Daim Zainuddin, and his family. (Website pic) PETALING JAYA : The widow of the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin will challenge the seizure of Ilham Tower in court. In a statement, Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal, who are acting on behalf of Naimah Khalid, said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) repeated seizure of the Kuala Lumpur city centre landmark was 'pure harassment'. 'This is vindictive, unlawful and a blatant abuse of power by MACC. This is contrary to the rule of law; it is the law of the jungle,' they said. This is the anti-graft agency's second time seizing the tower on Jalan Binjai after making a similar move on Dec 21, 2023. In a strongly worded statement, the lawyers pointed out that MACC had already seized Ilham Tower previously, raising doubts over the justification for taking the same action again. Questioning whether MACC was 'playing musical chairs with the law', they stressed that no corruption charges have been brought against Daim despite repeated allegations and insinuations by both Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki. 'Having failed to produce any charges, they are now targeting our client with yet another seizure,' they said. 'They want to keep seizing our client's property even though there's no evidence of corruption. 'We will, on behalf of our client, challenge the seizure of Ilham Tower in court immediately.' Azam previously said the commission was considering seizing over RM2 billion in undeclared assets linked to Daim, his family and proxies. Eight new investigation papers were opened after receiving fresh information from foreign agencies. On Tuesday, MACC said it had obtained a court order to freeze £132 million (RM758.2 million) worth of assets in London belonging to Naimah and her family. The assets include two commercial buildings, five luxury residences and one bank account, Utusan Malaysia reported. According to MACC, investigations revealed that the assets were linked to suspected offences under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. In January last year, Daim claimed trial to a charge of failing to comply with the terms of an asset declaration notice issued by MACC. He was accused of not disclosing his ownership of 38 companies, 19 land plots in five states, six properties, two unit trust accounts and seven luxury cars. MACC said he had asked for five deadline extensions but still failed to comply. Naimah also faces an asset declaration charge. She is accused of failing to declare her ownership in various companies, several plots of land here and in Penang, and two vehicles. After Daim's death on Nov 13 last year, the prosecution withdrew the charges and the court granted an order discharging and acquitting him.
