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PUTRAJAYA (Sept 2): Former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom has been remanded for five days to help authorities investigate Lembaga Tabung Haji’s lease of two properties, in Makkah and Medina.
He was brought in at about 10.30am on Wednesday wearing the orange remand T-shirt, and was accompanied by his lawyer Datuk Hamidi Md Noh before Magistrate Ezrene Zakariah.
Hamidi said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had initially requested for a seven-day remand.
However, he added he managed to ask the magistrate to consider reducing it and hence Jamil was remanded for five days.
“I was asked by [Umno] party president [Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi] to represent Jamil in the remand proceedings,” Hamidi said.
Jamil came to the MACC office at 4.30pm on Tuesday and is said to assist investigations into Tabung Haji’s lease of two properties, one in Makkah and the other in Medina.
Following that, he was detained by the MACC.
Hamidi added that his client had fully cooperated with the authorities.
MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed the arrest and said the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
Section 16(a)(A) is for an offence of soliciting or receiving or accepting a bribe.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Tabung Haji was made public on July 29, documenting various weaknesses in Tabung Haji’s management and operations between 2014 and 2020, as well as listing problematic investments requiring a forensic audit.
Abd Halim reportedly said on Wednesday that several people previously detained over investigations linked to the RCI report on Tabung Haji will be charged in court on Thursday and Friday.