KUALA LUMPUR (May 30): Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia on Monday (May 29) filed a second judicial review application against Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, the government and 19 others over the seizure of two party accounts, which had earlier been frozen.
The application by Bersatu executive secretary Captain (Rtd) Datuk Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya was filed through Messrs Chetan Jethwani in the High Court.
The party is seeking leave (permission) for it to gain a hearing of the merits of the review to obtain a certiorari to quash the respondents' move to issue a seizure order under Section 50 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act to its CIMB and AmBank accounts.
They also sought a mandamus order for the respondents to hand over the seizure order, which the party claims it has yet to receive until today, and that the two Bersatu accounts be released from any condition or further freezing.
Further, it sought a declaration that as a valid political party, it has the right to carry out its political activities without any disruption, and from being a victim of political persecution, and that it has rights as protected under the Federal Constitution.
The party further sought a declaration that following the unlawful freezing order resulting in the illegality, procedural impropriety, irrationality and mala fide (bad faith) and abuse of the legal process, the order to seize is also unlawful.
The second judicial review is scheduled to be heard on June 22 before judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.
Bersatu counsel Rosli Dahlan when contacted said the party will on June 22 apply that the case be transferred to judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid, who earlier granted leave for its first judicial review to challenge the freezing order.
On April 20, the MACC announced that it had seized Bersatu’s frozen accounts in relation to charges against its party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, a former prime minister.
The second application was filed despite the party having obtained leave on Tuesday to challenge the freezing of the two accounts, and the travel ban imposed on Muhyiddin.
Ahmad Kamal ruled that the first judicial review was not frivolous and vexatious, and ordered case management on June 21.