KUALA LUMPUR: The government has withdrawn its application to forfeit almost RM16mil from accounts belonging to the wife of former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Datin Seri Khadijah Mohd Noor, and their four children, as well as a shoplot owned by their company, Azeera Management Consultants (M) Sdn Bhd.

       Deputy public prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim told the High Court here that the decision to withdraw the application was made by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) following another letter of representation submitted by the respondents (Abdul Azeez’s family).

       “There was another letter (of representation) from the respondents dated Feb 15, 2022, to which the AGC agreed to withdraw the application to forfeit the assets.

       “As such, the release (of assets) order will be made by the prosecution,” he said yesterday.

       Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin then cancelled the application and vacated the hearing date set for June 21.

       On Feb 8, Nik Haslinie told the court that the AGC had, on Feb 4, rejected a representation submitted by Abdul Azeez’s family members against the government’s application to forfeit their assets, involving cash and property allegedly obtained through unlawful activities.

       In the forfeiture suit filed in September 2019, the government was applying to forfeit almost RM16mil from the accounts belonging to Khadijah and the four children – Mohamed Khairul Anwar, Mohamed Khairul Azman, Khaleeda Azwa, Khaleeda Azeera – and also a shoplot in Bandar Sunway, which is owned by their company.

       On Dec 18 last year, the court dismissed the family’s application to stay the forfeiture proceedings pending the disposal of Abdul Azeez’s ongoing corruption case at the Sessions Court.

       Abdul Azeez, who is Baling MP, is currently on trial for three counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM5.2mil in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah and 10 counts of money laundering involving a total of RM13.9mil which he allegedly received from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

       However, the trial has been postponed pending his appeal at the Court of Appeal to have the case against him struck out. — Bernama