By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-11-19 08:20:01 | Updated at 2024-11-19 10:19:43
2 hours ago
The widow of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin on Tuesday issued a defiant challenge to Malaysian prosecutors to continue pressing their corruption charges against her recently deceased husband, saying Daim had wanted “his day in court” and was confident of clearing his name.
Daim, who died last Wednesday aged 86, was awaiting trial on charges of failure to declare his assets, which his estate claims to be “frivolous, malicious and politically motivated”.
A key ally of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Daim served as finance minister from 1984 to 1991 and again from 1999 to 2001.
Together, they steered Malaysia’s economic boom during the 1980s, a period critics argue was riddled with rampant crony capitalism that enriched Mahathir’s close associates.
Since Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim came to power, his long-time rival Mahathir and allies of the 99-year-old former leader have found themselves under the intensifying scrutiny of Malaysia’s graft officials.
In a letter by Daim’s widow released through her lawyers on Tuesday, Naimah Khalid said Daim wanted the charge against him to be heard in court.
