Kuala lumpur: The Magistrate's Court today issued arrest warrants against three individuals, including two sons of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, for failing to comply with notices from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to face charges today. Magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan made the ruling after allowing an application by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat for arrest warrants to be issued against Muhammed Amir Zainuddin, 31, Muhammed Amin Zainuddin, 28, and businesswoman Josephine Premla.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the court's decision came after it was established that the individuals had knowledge of the MACC notices but failed to present themselves. The MACC had previously stated that it would initiate a Red Notice against Daim's two sons for not appearing to provide statements, despite receiving three notices. Josephine Premla also did not appear without providing a reasonable excuse.
The court, however, granted a temporary stay on the execution of the arrest warrants following an application by lawyer Nizamuddin Hamid, who represented the three individuals. This stay is pending the filing and decision of an application to set aside the warrants at the High Court. Magistrate Illi Marisqa noted that notices under Section 30 of the MACC Act had been appropriately communicated to the lawyer, which sufficed in informing the clients of the MACC's investigation intentions.
The court reviewed the timeline of notices and extensions provided by MACC. The first notice was issued on February 13, 2026, for an appearance the following day. An extension was granted until March 11, 2026, but the individuals requested another delay until March 30, 2026. A final date of April 6, 2026, was then given, yet a letter dated April 4, 2026, requested a further delay to July 2026. Consequently, MACC applied for arrest warrants due to these repeated absences.
Magistrate Illi Marisqa, after assessing both prosecution and defense submissions and referring to Section 47 of the Criminal Procedure Code, found grounds to believe the individuals had absconded. There were no documents to justify their absences, and despite involvement via their lawyer, the individuals did not cooperate with the MACC's investigation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi highlighted the failure of the individuals to appear at the MACC office, with the siblings missing three appointments and Josephine missing two. Lawyer Nizamuddin argued that the short notices were unreasonable and that Muhammed Amir and Muhammed Amin were studying in the United Kingdom, making it difficult to comply promptly.
In a related case earlier today, Daim's daughter, Asnida Abdul Daim, was charged at the Sessions Court for not declaring shareholdings in five companies in 2023. She pleaded not guilty to the charge before Judge Rosli Ahmad.