Daim admitted to hospital, Sessions Court told

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here was told that former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin has been admitted to hospital.

Daim’s lawyer Datuk Gurdial Singh Nijar told Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi that his client was unable to attend the proceedings here today but did not explain the reason behind Daim’s hospital admission.

The court was initially scheduled to deliver its decision on the prosecution’s application for Daim to undergo a mental evaluation to assess whether he can stand trial.

Gurdial, who recently joined Daim’s defence team, also told Azura that he needed more time to prepare his submissions in the prosecution’s application.

Azura then fixed Nov 20 to hear the defence’s rebuttal and said that Daim must be present on the date.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How questioned Daim’s absence in court since he was charged for alleged failure to declare his assets.

He said the prosecution received Daim’s medical certificate (MC) issued by Assunta Hospital from the defence team.

“We ask for the hospital to give a full report on Daim’s condition and we want the attending doctor to come to court and explain,” he said.

On Aug 27, the prosecution made an application under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) to have Daim subjected to a mental evaluation.

It said that the application was prompted due to the defence often asking the court to exempt Daim from attending his court proceedings.

Daim’s lawyer Nizamuddin Abdul Hamid objected to the application.

He said that his client suffered physical ailments and not a mental one that would affect his comprehension and ability to understand the charge.

On Jan 29, Daim was charged at the Sessions Court over his alleged failure to declare his assets.

According to the charge sheet, Daim had intentionally given a written statement under oath that did not comply with the terms of notice under Section 36(1) (b) of the MACC Act 2009, whereby he did not declare assets as stated in Appendix A (which included a bank account, seven luxury cars, 38 companies and 25 lands and properties spread across Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Perak.)

He allegedly committed the offence at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya on Dec 13, 2023.

Under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009, Daim faces imprisonment of up to five years and a fine not exceeding RM100,000, if convicted.