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Key Highlights
Daim’s money trail gets longer
Dr M’s son has 30 days to declare assets
Cop’s remark on stalking episode irks actor
Daim’s money trail gets longer
Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin has found himself in the spotlight again.
Documents, obtained by the Investigative Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) and shared with Malaysiakini, revealed that his family members are the beneficial owners of another offshore trust holding assets worth hundreds of millions of ringgit.
The latest leak from a service provider from the Cayman Islands showed that as late as 2020, there were assets worth some US$52.56 million (RM244.06 million) held in ZA Star Trust, which is owned by Daim’s wife Na’imah Abdul Khalid and his children Muhammed Amir Zainuddin and Muhammed Amin Zainuddin Amin.
It also showed that ZA Star Trust received a loan of US$49 million (RM227.53 million) from Adam Zeta Trust but there are no details on what it was for or who owns Adam Zeta Trust.
The leaked documents are of Cayman provider Genesis Trust & Corporate Services Ltd, a company which provides services like company formation and administration, partnership registration and administration, trust services, directorial services, and more.
Daim, who is currently under investigation by MACC, and his wife have accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of conducting a “witch hunt” to “settle old scores”.
The former teacher-turned-minister and corporate figure said that he was a successful businessperson with assets and properties acquired through legitimate business activities before he became involved in politics.
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Dr M’s son has 30 days to declare assets
Mirzan Mahathir, the eldest son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been ordered to declare his assets both in Malaysia and abroad in the next 30 days.
The businessperson was summoned to the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday where he was slapped with a notice under Section 36(1)(b) of the MACC Act 2009.
“This order is a further action from the MACC investigation regarding the information in the Panama Papers report and his business activities involving the sale and purchase of GLCs,” said MACC.
Previously, MACC said it had initiated an investigation in August 2022 against all related entities named in the Pandora Papers report, as well as the Panama Papers.
In 2018, Mahathir defended his children’s wealth, saying their success was due to their own hard work and had nothing to do with him.
“If they are rich now, it is through their own efforts.
“They are entitled to be rich, that is if they can become rich. But some of my relatives are as poor as a church mouse,” he added.
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Cop’s remark on stalking episode irks actor
“Maybe he likes you.”
This is not the response actor Alvy Joanna had expected when she lodged a police report against a man who was stalking her when shopping at a mall.
Slighted, the actor reprimanded the police personnel for his remark, which she described as victim-blaming.
“I was so angry. I said, ‘Yes, but it’s not safe’,” she told Malaysiakini.
“They (the other police officers) just moved on with the police report. The one who was joking, he was just there,” she added.
After her experience was highlighted, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said she would speak to the district police chief to ensure that the personnel undergo gender sensitivity training.
“These remarks/mindset will deter investigation and actions from being taken,” she added.
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Views that matter
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Other news that matter
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remains steadfast in his decision not to take a salary for the positions he has held since November 2022 as long as the country's economy has not fully recovered.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad is ready to meet with National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang over his remarks that cast aspersions on the loyalty of Indian Malaysians.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court has granted a stay of deportation to Bangladeshi opposition politician MA Quayum who has been taking refuge in Malaysia since 2015.
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