Priya PatelTLDR:
The wife of former Malaysian finance minister Daim Zainuddin, Na’imah Abdul Khalid, has been charged with failing to disclose her assets to anti-graft investigators. Daim, who is a close ally of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has called the investigation a “political witch-hunt.” The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is also investigating Daim’s affairs. The MACC has recently summoned Mahathir’s son for questioning, as part of its probe into the Panama Papers revelations.
The wife of former Malaysian finance minister Daim Zainuddin, Na’imah Abdul Khalid, has been charged with failing to disclose her assets to anti-graft investigators. The 66-year-old pleaded not guilty to the offence, which allegedly occurred in November 2023. Daim, who served as finance minister twice between 1984 and 2001, is a close ally of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and a political rival of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
If found guilty, Na’imah could face up to five years in prison and a hefty fine. She stated outside the court that “no crime was committed by me” and that the “real crime is the plot to tarnish my husband’s reputation.” Na’imah also directed a message to Prime Minister Ibrahim, saying “power is brief and there is always a reckoning for those who abuse it.”
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating Daim’s affairs, with Daim calling it a “political witch-hunt.” The MACC has recently summoned Mahathir’s son, Mirzan Mahathir, for questioning regarding his business activities. This is part of the MACC’s probe into the Panama Papers revelations and the sale and purchase of government-linked companies.
