In first case, govt to return RM500,000 seized from Liberal Democratic Party
The Attorney-General’s Chambers accepts the party’s representation that the money is not from 1MDB.
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will return RM500,000 plus interest to Sabah’s Liberal Democratic Party, which was frozen and seized last year after it was believed to have come from 1MDB.
This follows a consent judgment recorded before High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah today.
In June, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the agency was filing suits to forfeit RM270 million from 41 entities, including LDP, as the funds came from 1MDB.
This is the first case where the government has returned money it had forfeited under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Lawyer Jagjit Singh Bant Singh, who represented LDP, told reporters the Attorney-General’s Chambers had accepted a representation from his client that the money was not from 1MDB.
Jagjit Singh, who was assisted by Wan Muhd Ariff Ameer Wan Normazian and Kamal Bahrain Nali, said only RM9,560.96 was retained by the government as it came from 1MDB.
MACC froze RM509,560.96 in late June and seized the money from the party in September last year.
Affidavits filed by current LPP president Chin Su Phin and secretary-general Yong Wui Ching revealed that the party received RM3.5 million from then prime minister Najib Razak between 2012 and 2013.
The money trail also revealed that the funds were utilised for the party by LDP’s former president Liew Vui Keong, who is the current de facto law minister.
The affidavits showed that only RM9,560.96 was left in the bank account as of May 30 last year.
“On June 27 last year, RM500,000 from the party’s education fund was transferred into the bank account, bringing the total balance to RM509,560.96,” the affidavits said.
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Chin and Yong were present in court today.