Court sets Sept 18 to hear bid for judicial review of Ilham Tower seizure

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has fixed Sept 18 to hear an application to initiate judicial review by the owner of Ilham Tower over its second seizure by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in June.

The hearing was initially scheduled for Wednesday (July 23).

However, it was postponed after Senior Federal Counsel Nurhafizza Azizan informed Justice Amarjeet Singh that the Attorney General would be objecting to the application.

The court then instructed parties to file their submissions by Aug 13 and replies by Aug 20 before fixing Sept 18 for the hearing.

Ilham Tower Sdn Bhd, the registered owner of Ilham Tower, is a private entity owned by the family of former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.

The company was represented by lawyer Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar in the proceedings.

Ilham Tower, as the applicant, filed the ex parte application through Messrs Raj & Sach.

Daim’s widow Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid is one of the company directors at Ilham Tower Sdn Bhd.

The company named the MACC, its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, senior enforcement officer Mohd Razi Rahhim @ Rahim, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib, the Attorney General, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the government as respondents.

In the application, the applicant is seeking a declaration that the seizure notice issued by the second respondent (Ahmad Akram) against the applicant on June 4 under Section 51(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 is null and void.

It is also seeking a certiorari order to quash the forfeiture notice and all decisions and actions related to it.