Malaysia ex-finance minister charged over failure to declare assets

Malaysia’s former finance minister, Daim Zainuddin, was charged on Monday with failing to disclose luxury cars, properties and other assets, part of a corruption crackdown triggered by revelations of tax evasion by the rich.

Daim, 85, served as finance minister twice between 1984 and 2001 and has close ties to a political rival of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He has called the probe into his affairs a “political witch-hunt”, and his wife was charged last week in a similar case.

Daim, who arrived at court on Monday in a wheelchair with his family, stands accused of failing to declare assets including luxury cars and premium condominiums, after being ordered to do so by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

If convicted, he faces up to five years in jail and a maximum fine of RM100,000 ($21,140). He pleaded not guilty and was released on bail.

Daim is a close ally of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has fiercely criticised Anwar since the latter came to power in 2022 vowing to stamp out graft.

In August 2022, the MACC said it had started probing “entities linked and named” in the Pandora and Panama papers, leaked documents which shone a light on tax evasion around the world.

Daim was named in the Pandora papers, according to media reports, but Anwar has been accused of using the investigation to go after his political foes — an allegation he denies.

Earlier this month, the MACC summoned Mahathir’s son for questioning over his business activities.

And last week, Daim’s 66-year-old wife Na’imah Abdul Khalid was charged with failing to disclose assets to anti-graft investigators.

“Honesty, integrity and good governance have gone out the window,” Daim said in a statement on Monday.

In a speech on Sunday, Anwar said he had never interfered in any graft cases.

“(For) anyone detected amassing wealth illegally… it is the responsibility of enforcement agencies to act decisively and boldly,” he was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.