MACC to question Daim’s wife and sons today

PETALING JAYA: Tun Daim Zainuddin’s wife Toh Puan Naimah Khalid and their two sons will be questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today following its seizure of the family-owned 60-storey Menara Ilham in the heart of Kuala Lumpur last month.

The family’s lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan confirmed the matter last night. He also sent out a media invite about a press conference that Naimah and the sons will be holding at around 10.15am at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.

“They will be present for questioning at 10.30am tomorrow at MACC’s HQ in Putrajaya,” he said in the invite.

Last month, the MACC seized the 274m-tall tower, one of the tallest in the country, as part of its investigations involving Daim, 85.

The MACC, in a statement on Dec 30, said investigation carried out against the former finance minister was based on the existing law and information from the Pandora Papers.

Following the seizure of the tower, Daim hit out at the MACC investigations on him and his family, claiming that it was nothing short of a political witch-hunt due to the “animus” of the Prime Minister.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki had said his officers were probing allegations of corruption and money laundering but did not elaborate.

He had also said the seizure of Menara Ilham was a normal process and meant to prevent the building from being sold while the investigation was ongoing.

He added that the move would not affect operations in the building.

Designed by the renowned Foster + Partners by Norman Foster, the iconic landmark began in 2010 and was completed in 2015, with an estimated cost of US$580mil (RM2.1bil) based on the currency exchange rate then.

The tower is located along Jalan Binjai in the prime commercial and high-rise residential property area around Kuala Lumpur City Centre. It includes office suites, a public art gallery, luxury serviced apartments, a four-star hotel and restaurants.