KUALA LUMPUR: The hearing of a forfeiture suit filed by the government against the family of Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim involving nearly RM16mil has been pushed to Oct 8.

       Deputy Public Prosecutor Aslinda Ahad told the press that the hearing – initially scheduled for Tuesday (June 29) - was postponed due to the first phase of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).

       "The court fixed Oct 8 as the new hearing date," she said.

       She said the respondents’ legal team also wanted to file an additional affidavit by Abdul Azeez, who is a former Tabung Haji chairman, and the prosecution has to reply to the affidavit.

       The case was brought up for case management via Zoom before High Court judge Justice Muhammad Jamil Hussin here on Tuesday.

       In September 2019, the government filed the forfeiture suit and named Azeez’s wife Khadijah Mohd Noor and their children Mohamed Khairul Anwar, Mohamed Khairul Azman, Khaleeda Azwa, Khaleeda Azeera and Azeera Management Consultants (M) Sdn Bhd, a company owned by the family, as the respondents.

       The government is seeking to forfeit money from the Tabung Haji personal accounts of the family and the bank account of the company.

       In January 2020, the family filed to stay the proceedings of the suit pending the disposal of Azeez’s case but it was later dismissed.

       On Jan 16, 2019, Azeez claimed trial at the Sessions Court to three counts of allegedly receiving bribes totalling RM5.2mil involving road projects in Perak and Kedah and nine counts of money laundering involving more than RM140mil.

       The trial is currently postponed due to his appeal to strike out the case at the Court of Appeal.