Malaysia’s anti-graft agency revealed on Dec 30 that it was digging deep and searching a previous finance minister and important ally of previous Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad under the nation’s abuse of power and money laundering laws. In a statement, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission confirmed media reports in December that it had stopped Ilham Tower, a 60-storey building in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, as part of its investigation into Tun Daim Zainuddin.
Mr Daim, 85, revealed in a statement on Dec 28 that he rejected all wrongdoing and that he was not informed of what offence he had deliberately committed despite repeated queries to the commission. He also described the probe in opposition to him as a “political witch-hunt” driven by the anti-graft agency and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Datuk Seri Anwar, who came to power in 2022, has pledged to weed out high-level corruption, but has faced accusations by some critics of targeting political rivals.
The commission said on Dec 30 that it had acted independently according to the law, and that it had opened investigations in opposition to Mr Daim in February based on information contained in the Pandora Papers – financial records leaked in 2021 which revealed offshore assets held by politicians and public figures worldwide. Mr Daim, his associates and family members were reported to have held assets worth at least £25 million (S$42 million).