By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-11-20 05:23:10 | Updated at 2024-11-20 07:23:34
2 hours ago
Corruption charges against influential Malaysian businessman and politician Daim Zainuddin were dropped on Wednesday, a day after his widow issued a challenge for the trial to proceed to clear the name of her recently deceased husband.
Daim, 86, died on November 13 while awaiting trial on charges of failing to declare his assets, part of a high profile corruption crackdown that critics say has targeted rivals of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The Kuala Lumpur sessions court granted a full acquittal to Daim after the prosecution applied to withdraw all charges in view of the death of the accused.
Daim’s lawyers had argued that it was not enough for the prosecution to withdraw the charges without a ruling by the court to clear their client’s name as well.
“This is because we cannot have a charge hanging over the head of someone not in a position to defend himself any more,” Daim’s lead counsel, Gurdial Singh Nijar, told This Week In Asia.
“The court agreed. The family are happy with the decision, because it exonerates Tun Daim completely,” Gurdial said, referring to Daim by his honorific title.
