'We won't let Anwar hide behind Daim's death': Family wants trial to continue

The family of the late Daim Zainuddin said there was no need for the authorities to halt their prosecution of the former finance minister for alleged non-disclosure of assets, saying it was his wish to have his day in court to clear his name and prove that the allegations against him were politically motivated.

"I state categorically on behalf of Daim, that it was his wish that the pending charge against him be proceeded with in court until conclusion, whatever happens to him.

"Daim looked forward to his day in court and had no doubt that he would be finally acquitted," Daim's widow Naimah Khalid said in a statement.

This came after Attorney-General Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar said he would review the case following Daim's death on Nov 13.

Daim and Naimah pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to comply with a notice by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to declare his assets, in what the couple has maintained is part of a politically motivated persecution instigated by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Naimah said they were convinced from the outset that the MACC investigation was "frivolous, malicious and politically motivated".

"That it is baseless is clear from the fact that neither the prime minister who instigated the probe nor MACC chief Azam Baki have been able to say, until today, what offence Daim is alleged to have committed. They cannot say what offence, because there is no such offence," she said.

"We will not allow Anwar Ibrahim to hide behind Daim’s death to evade responsibility for his repeated public slanders against Daim. Daim’s eventual acquittal will prove Anwar’s perfidy and deceit."

She said her lawyers have been instructed to inform the AG on the decision when the trial resumes tomorrow.

On Sept 30, Naimah lodged a police report on behalf of Daim, calling for an investigation into claims of power abuse by Anwar following a Bloomberg report quoting sources that Azam had told his officers that the MACC investigation was launched on the prime minister's instructions.

The sources also claimed that Anwar had told Azam not to investigate his former political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador over the controversial purchase of shares in a company linked to the development of a new billion-ringgit immigration system.

The Prime Minister's Office and MACC have denied the claims.