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KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran Umno politician Shahrir Abd Samad today pleaded not guilty to a money laundering charge at the Sessions Court here, over RM1 million he received from former prime minister Najib Razak.
The former Felda chairman is accused of failing to declare the amount in his tax returns for the year 2013.
According to the charge under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act, or Amla, Shahrir deposited the cheque from Najib into his bank account on Nov 28, 2013.
He faces a jail sentence between five and 15 years, a RM5 million fine or five times the sum of the illegal proceeds.
Shahrir came to the court today accompanied by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Ahmad Maslan.
Ahmad, the Pontian MP, was charged separately under the same law, but with an additional charge of giving false information to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Shahrir and Ahmad were among 80 individuals and organisations named by MACC for receiving over RM420 million from Najib. MACC said the funds were from 1MDB.
The anti-graft body had issued compounds to them, demanding them to return the monies.
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Ahmad Maslan pleads not guilty to money laundering charges
BernamaPublished: 10:36 am | Modified: 10:45 amA+A–
Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today with failing to declare RM2 million which he received from ex-premier Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
He was also charged with giving a false statement to the MACC.
However, he pleaded not guilty to both the charges after they were read out to him before judge Azman Ahmad.
Prior to entering chambers, Ahmad Maslan read out a four-line pantun in which he declared himself to be innocent and a victim of tyranny.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/507837
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Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan and former Johor Bahru MP Shahrir Samad have been arrested by the MACC.
The duo will be charged tomorrow at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
“Shahrir and Ahmad will face one and two charges respectively under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001,” the MACC said in a statement today.
The MACC said Ahmad was arrested at 10.10am while Sharir was detained at 11.22am.
It said both were arrested after presenting themselves at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.
They were subsequently released on MACC bail.
The commission did not elaborate on their alleged offences.
However, both were previously implicated with receiving money from former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, whose source of funds was allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.
According to Najib’s bank accounts money trail, Ahmad received RM2 million from Najib’s bank account ending 906 on Nov 27, 2013.
On Nov 28, 2013, Shahrir also received RM1 million from the same bank account.
Shahrir had in August 2015 defended taking money from Najib when the money trail became public.
“Who else should I ask for financial aid for expenses in running my (party) division, if not from my own party president,” he had said.
A month before that, Ahmad also defended the source of Najib’s funds, insisting that they were not misappropriated from 1MDB.
Ahmad served as the deputy finance minister and later the deputy international trade and industry minister under the previous BN government.
Shahrir was the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister between 2008 and 2009. He also served as the Felda chairperson under the previous government.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/507766
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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today arrested former Felda chairman Shahrir Abd Samad and former international trade and industry minister Ahmad Maslan, before releasing them on bail.
The anti-graft authority said the duo would be charged with money laundering tomorrow, without giving further details.
They will be charged under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
Last October, Shahrir and Ahmad Maslan were among 80 individuals and companies who were issued compounds from MACC for receiving funds linked to 1MDB.
They were required to return the monies within two weeks or challenge the compound notice in court.
Last month, they filed applications for judicial review to challenge the notices, naming MACC and its chief commissioner Latheefa Koya as respondents.
weehingthong 